Stagnation
by Rointheta
Summary: After a traumatic year in Pete's World, Rose gets back to her London. Scared of disrupting the timelines, she lays low and doesn't meet the Doctor until a year has passed. He's now travelling with Martha and seems conflicted about Rose's return. She hopes to pick up where they left off, but he keeps her at arm's length whilst also being overprotective. Post Doomsday reunion!fic.
1. Reunion

**Note 1:** this story is already written, I've just never published it on this site. So, this won't interfere with my writing of In the Dark. ^^ Besides the last 5 chapters (of 28) it is unbeta'd so all mistakes are mine.  
**Note 2:** This is a Ten/Rose story with friendship between Martha and Rose. No character bashing or pitting them against each other, because ugh no thanks.  
**Note 3**: It takes place somewhere after the episode 42 and then goes its own way. This will not follow the rest of season 3.

* * *

It was hard to measure time on the TARDIS, but Martha reckoned she had travelled with the Doctor for roughly six months. They had just survived the bout with the sentient sun and she had received her own key! He rarely opened up to her, but she considered them being friends and hoped for more. He didn't seem quite as hung up on Rose any longer and Martha hoped she had something to do with that progress.

Martha loved travelling with the Doctor, but she did need the occasional pitstop in London; so, today she was on her way to Canary Wharf to leave a bouquet of yellow daisies. Those were the favourite flowers of her cousin Adeola, who had been lost in battle. The Doctor once told Martha he was there on the day when it had all happened, but he never gave her any details. The way he always changed the subject, and the fact that he refused to join her today, made her very curious about what had taken place that day. He was like that, though, the Doctor. One had to be really creative to get him to open up. Creative, patient and lucky.

Martha found another woman seated on one of the benches by the memorial place. She was young, blond and looked like she was deep in thoughts. Leaving the bouquet, Martha stood quietly on the spot for a minute and thought about her cousin before deciding to join the other woman. She looked like she was in need of a friendly ear and, if there was one thing Martha loved, it was helping people.

However, to her surprise the woman spoke first. "So, who did you lose?"

"My cousin. Adeola, her name was."

"I'm sorry." The woman gave her a comforting but sad smile. "What was she like?"

"Smart as a whip. Ambitious. And she looked just like me. Funny, really. As kids we used to pretend we were twins. People got us mixed up all the time."

"Sounds like fun."

"Yeah." Martha tucked her fringe back behind her ear. "And you? Who did you lose?"

"Oh…" The woman ducked her head, kicking at some pebbles. "Everything."

Martha reached out for the woman's hand and gave it a gentle pat. "I'm so sorry. Do you want to talk about it?"

The woman shrugged. "Yeah. Why not? S'why we keep coming here, yeah? To talk to someone who understands."

"Do you come here often, then?"

"I was…away for a while, so I couldn't. But I'm back now and I come here every chance I get." The woman turned to Martha, brown eyes shining with unshed tears. "I lost my mum, and in a way my dad and baby brother, s'pose, and my best mate, and my… Well, my friend. And my home."

"God. I'm so sorry. A colleague of mine, his house got destroyed by the Cyberman when they tried to—" Afraid to say something wrong to a person who obviously still was mourning, Martha stopped talking; however, the blond only smiled at her so Martha went on. "They tried to resist the Cybermen, his family did, and their house was just rubble afterwards."

"That's awful. Did anyone get hurt?"

"His mum didn't make it. Guess a lot of people lost someone that day."

"Yeah. There are always flowers and candles here. Makes me feel a little bit better, though, to see that people still care, I mean. That they've not forgotten. I—" The woman got teary again and, for some reason, Martha felt compelled to hug her. Not that she did, they were strangers after all, but she gave the blond another friendly pat. "I hope that means _I'm_ not forgotten, either."

"What d'you mean?"

"Well, I told you I had been gone for a while, yeah? Wasn't my choice." The woman bit on her thumbnail, looking up at the building in front of them. "I lost everything that day…even myself."

"Oh, I see." Martha nodded, thinking that the woman probably was talking about a nervous breakdown and must have been committed to a psychiatric institution. "Adeola's dad, my uncle, went through something like that."

Humming, the woman fiddled with her hoop earring. She looked so lost and lonely that the sight tugged at Martha's heartstrings so, since she was starting to get hungry, she decided to invite the blond to join her. "Would you like to join me for lunch?"

"Oh! I'd love to." The woman gave her a proper smile this time, one that reached the eyes, and Martha couldn't help but smile back.

"I just need to pop by my friend and tell him I'll be late, okay? He's parked nearby."

"He could come along, if he'd like."

"I don't think he would. He's kinda weird, that way. But we can always ask him, sometimes he surprises you." Martha stood up and offered the woman her arm. "Shall we?"

"Yeah." The woman took Martha's proffered arm. "My name is Rose, by the way."

Martha froze for a second, brow knitted. She couldn't be…? No, what this woman had shared contradicted what the Doctor had said about his Rose. This was nothing but a strange coincidence.

"Nice to meet you, Rose. I'm Martha."

"You too. So this friend of yours, why didn't he come here with you?"

"I'm not sure. Something happened to him that day, I think. He refuses to talk about it. He rarely talks about anything that matters."

"Sometimes it's hard to open up to the people who know you. I know I couldn't. Went to grief counselling and it helped me. Has he tried anything like that?"

Martha laughed. "Nah, not him. He'd probably spontaneously combust if he had to share something from his past."

"Oh, really?" Rose giggled. "I used to know a bloke like that. He really got to me, sometimes." Frowning, she looked away. "But he had his reasons. Just wish he'd trusted me more. At times I thought we were so close, and then he went and did something…" She shrugged and smiled at Martha. "Tell me more about this bloke of yours, then."

"He's not mine. He flirts, alright, even kissed me once. But he's too hung up on his ex to even see me that way, I reckon. Sometimes he makes me feel like I'm just filling this void left by her, that I could be anyone and he doesn't really see _me_."

"What an idiot." Rose snorted. "I barely know you, and even I can see you're amazing."

"Yeah, for a genius he is rather daft," she said, but then she noticed the Doctor coming towards them, eyes on whatever he held in his hand, so she nudged Rose with her elbow. "Ssssch! Here he comes. Hi Doctor!"

"Ah, Martha, there you are. I was just about to go look for you. Look what I found!" He looked up from what he was inspecting. "It's a transmo—" His jaw dropped, and so did the gadget, but he didn't seem to notice. "Oh…what did…how…what…where…what…?"

Staring bemusedly at the wide-eyed Doctor, Martha was just about to ask him what was wrong with him, when she heard Rose saying a soft, "Hello, Doctor," and things clicked. Oh, it _was_ his Rose, after all, but…their stories made no sense! Oh, god, she had basically admitted to having a crush on the Doctor in front of his ex. Martha groaned inwardly, trying not to blush. Not that it mattered. She could've turned into a smurf without them noticing. Right now, there were only the Doctor and Rose in the entire universe.

"Hello." He reached out for Rose but stopped before he could touch her. "Is this…? Are you…?"

"Yeah," said Rose, biting her lip and grinning.

"How?"

After breathing in deeply, Rose laughed and the sound seemed to release the Doctor from his shock and a soft smile slowly bloomed on his face.

"You have time? S'kind of a long story."

Bouncing on the balls of his feet, he grinned at her. "I think I might have some to spare." Covering his mouth with his hand, he leaned in and loudly whispered: "I'm a Time Lord."

Rose threw herself at him. "Oh, c'mere."

The Doctor wrapped his arms around Rose's body, lifting her up and hugging her hard. His eyes were closed, but surrounded by crinkles, and Martha was pretty certain that she heard him giggling. He then opened his eyes, still with his arms full of Rose, whom he was swaying gently back and forth and, for the first time since Martha had known him, he looked truly happy. Oh, he'd been joking, smiling and laughing with her, but there was always a shadow hanging over him. However, right now in this moment, he seemed free. His mercurial temper soon made itself known, though, and after putting Rose down, his expression turned serious, the sliver of darkness back in his eyes.

He gripped Rose's shoulders, looking sternly at her. "Rose. _How_, exactly, did you get here? Are there any breaches I need to close?"

The blond woman sighed, seeming uncomfortable. "Can we talk about it in the TARDIS?"

The Doctor nodded so the trio walked the, thankfully short, distance to the time ship in silence. A rather uncomfortable silence, if you asked Martha, and she got very curious about the Doctor and Rose's past. What the Doctor had told her wasn't exactly what Rose had shared and what was that about breaches? She really hoped they wouldn't exclude her so she followed them as quietly as she could. Growing up with constantly bickering parents, she knew how to make herself invisible.

When they reached the TARDIS Rose stilled the Doctor by putting her hand on his arm.

"Please?" she said, pulling out her own TARDIS key, which was hanging from a silver chain around her neck.

"You…" The Doctor cleared his throat. "You still have that?"

Rose smiled. "'Course."

It seemed to be an almost sacred moment for the blond woman and her hands trembled as she entered they key into the lock. Releasing the breath she obviously had been holding, Rose unlocked the door and stepped inside the TARDIS. Her behaviour surprised Martha. The Doctor had indicated that his Rose had left voluntarily but it didn't seem as though that was true.

"Oooooh," Rose breathed out as she ran up to the time rotor. "I missed you." Stroking the console tenderly, Rose turned to the Doctor. "The lack of her humming drove me barmy the first months in Pete's World."

"So the name stuck, hm? Always been good at naming things, me," the Doctor said, but he didn't smile like Martha had come to expect from him when he was bragging. He just stood there, somewhat awkwardly, with his hands in his pockets.

Rose smirked. "Yeah, dad made sure. He rather liked that. Cuppa?"

They walked together to the galley and, even though the Doctor had seemed happy when he first saw Rose, he now looked rather grave. Leaning against the wall, he still had his hands in his pockets whilst he followed Rose's every move. She, on the other hand, was bustling around and humming, seemingly unbothered by his staring. She made tea, apparently remembering how the Doctor liked it, and asked Martha how she took hers; so, Martha assumed she was welcome to stay during the intriguing conversation. Or should she say interrogation? She recognised that look in the Doctor's eye and she wondered if he would stay distant like that the whole time.

After finding chocolate biscuits in the cupboard, Rose put those and a jar of orange marmalade on the Doctor's spot.

"Still use your fingers, yeah?" she asked over her shoulder, putting the milk and sugar back.

The Doctor pushed himself off the wall and sat down, unscrewing the lid and shoving his fingers into the sticky substance.

"I'll take that as a yes." Rose grinned with her tongue poking out between her teeth.

"How?!" demanded the impatient Doctor, managing to look imposing even though he was licking marmalade off his index finger.

Rose sat down and cupped her hands around her mug, staring into the milky liquid. "You're not gonna like it."

"Makes it even more important that you tell me, then. Be effective and do hurry up. I need to know if you've done some damage I need to repair."

Rose glared at him. "I started working for Torchwood. Met a Time Agent. Asked for a favour. Went back to the—" She closed her eyes for a second and made a barely audible noise, "—the battle. Used a jumper before we closed the breach. Lay low until I was sure Bad Wolf Bay had happened for you. And now I'm here." She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back in her chair. "So, any damage in need of repairs, Doctor?"

"You did _what_? Do you understand how dangerous that was?" The Doctor was leaning over the table, eyes dark and furious, voice low and intense. "You could've gotten sucked into the void. Into _hell_, Rose. And for _what_? For—"

"Maybe I'm a bit smarter than that! Maybe I brought a harness and a magna-clamp with me from Pete's Torchwood, secured myself and was bloody safe this time! I didn't just jump without thought. I _planned_ this."

"It was still a stupid thing to do. What if something had gone wrong? Could've gotten yourself killed!"

She pointed at herself. "But I didn't. See."

"Oh, I see, all right. And now you're stuck here, Rose. You're never going to see them again - your mother, Mickey, Pete, the baby… Never. You can't ever go back." Shaking his head, the Doctor added under his breath: "Bloody, stubborn, stupid—"

"What? Stupid ape? Is that what you want to say? I'm gonna tell you who's the stupid one, and it sure as hell isn't me."

"Oh, really," snarled the Doctor. "Are you sure about that? D'you want to wait until I've checked for whatever mess you've undoubtedly left behind, when you punched a hole between the universes, until you call me stupid? You could've disrupted the timelines, you know. One wrong move and you could've changed _everything_. Just to be with me instead of living a-a fantastic life with your family."

"Still got the ego intact, I see." Rose snorted. "You thinking I came back for you? S'not true, you know. And I'm glad it's not, 'cause you obviously don't want me." She stood up so abruptly her chair tipped over. "But this time I want my stuff before you send me away again. Is my room still here?"

The Doctor scrunched up his face in confusion. "What?"

"My stuff. I want it. I want my photo albums and my trinkets and the bra I bought on New Earth, 'cause I've never had a better one and I really missed it. You can relate, yeah," she said, turning to Martha, who tried to shrink back in her chair. She was _not_ choosing sides. "Bloody impossible to find decent bras."

"What?!" he squeaked, in a very high pitch.

"_My stuff_!" Rose stared at him as though he'd grown another head. "I was trapped in a parallel world and the only things I had were my TARDIS key, your bloody psychic paper, my old phone that Mickey had and my new super phone. And now I've been stuck here, all alone, for like a year, still no stuff, and I can't contact anyone 'cause I'm supposed to be dead and I didn't want to risk changing anything. So, yeah, now I can go on and live my _fantastic life_ and I want my bloody stuff!"

The Doctor looked utterly dejected. "You're _leaving_?"

"Well," she picked up her chair and sat down again. "You don't want me back, so—"

"Well, you didn't come back for me, anyway." He looked away, pouting.

Martha stared incredulously at the two immature adults at the table. Apparently communication wasn't their forte, which really didn't come as a surprise since half of the duo consisted of the Doctor. So, Martha took charge and asked the important question: "Why did you come back, Rose?"

She was rather interested herself, since she hadn't understood much of the conversation. Breaches was still unfamiliar to her, as was that Pete bloke, who seemed important, and she had no idea that parallel worlds existed. Also, to her there seemed to be a lot more to the story than that. Martha saw Rose flinching when the Doctor mentioned her family, she had tears in her eyes and now her hands were shaking, but the Doctor was too busy sulking to notice.

Rose sighed and then licked her lips. "Yeah, that's the long part of the story. But I want chips first. Real chips from my own universe. Potatoes in Pete's World tasted wrong and I really missed the good stuff."

"Good idea, I'm starving," said Martha. "There's a chippy down the street. We'll go, and you can scan for breaches, or whatever. Right, Doctor?"

The Doctor narrowed his eyes, staring at Rose for a moment, but then he grunted something that might have been a 'yes,' and stalked out of the galley.

"Wow, he's gotten grumpy. Haven't seen him act like this since he was all Northern," said Rose, once they were alone again.

"Northern?"

"Oh!" Laughing, Rose shook her head. "That's another long story. C'mon, I'll tell it on the way to the chip shop."

* * *

"So, Northern…" said Martha, as they walked to the chippy.

"Yeah. You're never gonna believe this. Look." Rose pulled out a photo from her pocket. It was of an older man with cropped hair, a prominent nose and big ears. He was standing with his arms crossed over his chest and his legs apart and had a big, daft grin on his face. Next to him stood a younger Rose, dressed in a pink hoodie and with longer hair.

"Who's that?"

"That's the Doctor. He looked like that when we met."

"No. You are kidding me."

"No, I'm really not. Was lucky. Mom had this picture on her phone when we got trapped. Was the only photo of the old him I had. See, Time Lords have this trick. When they're dying, the change every cell of their body. Not that he ever told me. We'd been together for a year, maybe. And then we met the Daleks and he was dying and then he changed right in front of my eyes. Went from Northern and grumpy to this happy, little bambi."

"No. You _are_ kidding me."

Rose laughed. "No. Was so upset, at first. Felt like he'd abandoned me. But this one grew on me. Just needed a little time with him to see he was still my Doctor."

"So, he's the same person?"

"Yeah. Has the same thoughts, memories and everything. But the package has changed, and the quirks. Like, my old Doctor was a bit broken, never did domestics and didn't really like it when other people joined us. He preferred it being just the two of us. But my new Doctor, well… He's like a big kid and he loves people. He actually joined me when I visited my mum's. He even had Christmas dinner with us. Look." She pulled out another photo.

"I don't believe this." Martha gasped, staring at the photo. The Doctor had a paper crown on his head and his arm around Rose's shoulders and the pair smiled brightly into the camera. "He'd never do something like this now."

"Well, we'd been travelling together for a year and gone through a lot. I'm sure he will once you get to know each other better."

Martha really had to know, so she ignored her racing heart and asked: "Were the two of you together?"

Rose laughed. "No. The Doctor doesn't do that. Or, well." Rose furrowed her brow, looking down. "You said he had an ex. So I guess he does do that. Not just with me."

"Okay…?" Martha had no idea what was going on. Rose and the Doctor behaved so strangely and nothing they said made any sense, but she was scared of making the Doctor angry with her for prying, so she kept quiet.

After reaching the chip shop, they placed their orders and sat down by a window table and waited for their meals to be prepared.

"So this ex of his. Who was she?" Rose had a neutral expression on her face, but she was picking at her nails and nervously licking her lips. It was obvious to Martha that Rose felt something for the Doctor—she carried around photos of him, after all—but Martha wasn't so sure about _his_feelings anymore.

"Oh, I dunno. He doesn't like to talk about her," Martha replied, feeling increasingly uncomfortable since she was torn between wanting to be truthful and not betraying the Doctor's trust.

"There's a shocker." Rose scoffed. "Can't have been with him for long, though. But, I once saw him fall in love, lose and mourn a woman in one day. So I suppose it just takes the right person to make him…" She shrugged, looking morose. "Anyway, I didn't come back for _that_, so…"

"Are you okay, Rose?"

"Yeah. Just miss my family. Wish things could've ended differently for me." Rose shook her head and plastered a smile on her face. "Enough about me. How long have you been travelling with the Doctor, then?"

"Six months, or so. We met in a hospital. I'm going to be a doctor. A proper one." Martha smiled. "There was this plasmavore running about, and the Judoon, some intergalactic police force, extracted the hospital to the moon. Looked pretty bad for a while, but me and the Doctor saved the day. And then he took me for a trip as thanks, and one trip became two, and two became three, and so on."

"Oh, I saw that in the papers. Thought he was there, but I wasn't sure if I could see him yet. The Doctor and I met 2005. Was working at Henrik's back then, and the dummies came alive. And then after we'd taken care of that, he invited me along to travel with him."

"What, he asked you to come along indefinitely right away?" asked Martha, feeling a little bit jealous.

"Yeah, but he was different back then. I said no, first, and he looked so sad. The old him really needed me. This one, though, he just enjoys the company, I think. And that's good. He shouldn't be alone. He's rubbish at it. I'm glad he has you, Martha. Must be convenient, having another doctor onboard, as well."

Rose smiled at her, but it looked a little forced and Martha couldn't help but wonder how life would be like if Rose would join her and the Doctor. They were both in love with the Time Lord and, as much as she already liked Rose, that could really makes things complicated.


	2. Draining

The Doctor sat on the jump-seat in his shirtsleeves, staring at the time rotor with a sullen expression on his face, when Rose and Martha came back to the TARDIS. He got up and walked to the kitchen without a word, so they followed his lead. Rose and Martha set the table, whilst the Time Lord made more tea. His behaviour surprised Rose a lot. Admittedly, she expected him to have many questions and maybe be a little bit upset, but she would assume him being mostly happy by her return. Granted, this reaction wasn't new to her and reminded her a lot of the last time she had seen it: at the battle of Canary Wharf. First he had barely looked at her whilst telling her to go with her mother and then, after she had come back, he had grabbed her by the shoulders and scolded her. However, she had been able to make him smile in a matter of minutes, whilst this Doctor before her seemed immune to her charms.

During their goodbye on that blasted beach when she had told him that she loved him it had, to her, seemed as though he reciprocated her feelings. She had told him the truth when she said she hadn't returned for him; however, she was hoping that they would meet again and that they could resume their relationship. Well, resume and progress, to be completely honest. She would happily travel with him as his best mate but, if she claimed that she wasn't hoping for more, she would be lying to herself.

It seemed she wasn't alone in that, though. It was clear to Rose that Martha had a soft spot for the Time Lord and she was kind, clever and beautiful, and she was going to be a doctor! Some rival, wasn't she? The most surprising news, though, was how the Doctor apparently was hung up on some ex. Rose had a hard time wrapping her head around that one. An ex? The Doctor? Really? She spent years by his side and never received as much as a kiss, so how was she to believe that he had met someone so quickly? That hurt her more than she cared to admit. Was this ex the reason as to why he behaved so strangely? The more she thought about it, the more confused she became.

"So, Doctor." She sat down at her usual spot. "Did I ruin anything?"

"No. No, you didn't."

"Good," she said, and sunk her teeth into her food.

"Now, if you please. If you didn't come back for-" The Doctor shut his mouth and something she couldn't quite catch flashed in his eyes. "Why did you come back, Rose? Why did you leave everything behind?"

She regarded him for a moment. He seemed hurt that she hadn't returned for him, yet he was angry that she was back and it made little sense to her. Was this just his vanity acting up? Her thoughts went back to the beach once more. A Time Lord, of all people, should have been a bit better at time management, she reckoned. Had he really loved her, wouldn't he have said so? She can't help but suspect that he most likely didn't want to break her heart, so he gave her enough for her to interpret it however she wanted. So, maybe he was uncomfortable now and thinking she was expecting an end to that sentence; an end he neither felt nor was willing to give. Yes, that must be it. Well, he did care about her as a friend, if their reunion hug was anything to go by, and Rose reckoned it had to be enough. It wasn't as though she had anyone else to turn to anymore.

"Well, here it comes." She laughed nervously, not looking forward to telling her story and hoping she could keep her feelings in check. Since she barely knew Martha, and the Doctor was being somewhat of a prat, breaking down was the last thing she wanted. Her experiences the last two years had left her not only emotionally exhausted, but also a lot more fragile than when she had travelled with the Doctor.

Martha didn't seem to have any knowledge of Rose's previous whereabouts so, since she didn't want her to feel left out, Rose turned to her as she began telling her story. "During the battle of Canary Wharf, I got trapped in a parallel world with my family without any way of coming back home. It's almost the same, but not really. Some things were really different. They had a president, the sky was full of zeppelins, Elvis was still alive-"

The Doctor's eyes brightened. "What? Really?"

"Yeah, turned into a health nut in Pete's World's equivalent of the '70s, released one of the most popular albums of all time in the '80s and retired in the late '90s after he made a cover of I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles). Wasn't a hit, for some reason, but you'll _love_ that one."

"You have it?" the Doctor squeaked, looking like a kid at Christmas.

"Yeah, on my superphone." She grinned. "Remind me later, yeah?"

"That is so cool," said Martha. "How about Michael Jackson?

"He was basically the same. But there was no Andrew Lloyd Webber, ABBA never split up, Madonna stopped making music after five years to pursue a career in acting - she was Galadriel in Lord of the Rings."

"No, you, Rose Tyler, are lying," protested the Doctor.

"No, I'm serious! She was really good in that universe. Oh! And there was no Eastenders." She chuckled. "Oh, Doctor, you should've seen mum's reaction."

The Doctor smiled. "I can imagine."

"We'd been there a little over a week when she noticed. Hadn't really been time for telly before that. Was so much to fix: mum was supposed to be dead, I didn't exist... Was at some function that she found out. She was talking to these other ladies, yeah, and wanted to know what she'd missed and no one had even heard of Eastenders. So she ran to dad-all heels, big hair and frilly skirts in a blur, never seen her move that fast-and he told her there was no show like that. She was hysterical! First time I laughed since we-"

She stuffed her mouth full of chips to shut herself up, staring down at the table. The Doctor didn't need to know how much she had been hurting after losing him, especially not if he didn't feel the same.

"Anyway, everything was fine, at first. I had some trouble adjusting, for a lot of reasons, but it was fine. But then mum started getting headaches. At first just now and then, but after a while she had them at least once a week. We thought it had something to do with the pregnancy. But then Pete got them too, and then Mickey and Jake. And then a few co-workers, neighbours and so on. All around me, people got sick. Wasn't always headaches, though, exhaustion was common, as well. But never me..."

"That's strange," said Martha.

"Yeah, gonna get stranger," Rose said, pressing her lips together. "First time we started suspecting something was two months after Bad Wolf Bay. By that time she had migraines more or less every day. Until I was away for a week. Mission in Barcelona, of all places." She snorted, exchanging a look with the Doctor.

"The planet?"

"Yeah. Finally got to see those dogs. I'll tell you all about it some other time." She dismissed the topic by waving her hand. "During my stay, mum had been feeling much better, but as soon as I came back, so did the headaches. We didn't know what it was, but better safe than sorry, so dad got me my own flat. Still visited, though... You know mum. Not a chance she'd let me stay away. Wish she had, 'cause that's when mum almost-"

Covering her mouth, Rose tried to get her emotions under control. It was so hard to talk about her mother almost miscarrying little Tony. All that blood, the terror, the not knowing what was wrong... It didn't matter that everything had turned out fine in the end. The look in her mother's eyes as the truth had dawned on them... Rose had never seen that before and now it was the last look her mother had given her. Rose had stayed away after the incident and they'd only had phone contact. Every conversation had been heartbreaking; Jackie had been filled with contradicting emotions whilst Rose had been drowning in guilt.

"Mum almost lost the baby," she whispered, suppressing a sob. "She had to stay in the hospital for the remainder of her pregnancy and every time I came to visit... Well, we quickly caught on and I had to stay away. That was the last time I saw mum, and I've never even met my baby brother. Mickey showed me pictures, though. He's really cute." She looked up at the Doctor, smiling. "Ginger, he is."

The Doctor returned her smile. "Of course he is. Just like Pete."

"Yeah, and the name's Tony. Little Tony Tyler." She sniffled. "Anyway, after that, dad got Torchwood to investigate. Ran bunch of tests and did screenings and god knows what else. Felt like a lab rat, I did. And they had to keep rotating the staff, so it was new faces every day and I just felt..." Shrugging, she sighed and, since she was starting to feel a bit parched, took a few gulps of her tea. She hadn't talked this much in ages.

"Was Mickey, of all people, who figured it out. See, him and mum took their parallel versions' places, but there never was a Rose Tyler in that universe. So it seemed like I drained others of energy just to keep existing. There was this whole new person there who shouldn't be, and I suppose it was the universe's way of fixing it, or something. Breaking it, rather. Still don't get why I didn't just fade away. Never really got an explanation, and no matter what we tried, nothing worked. We even-" She shuddered. "Was dad's idea. You remember Rose the dog? They put her down, thinking maybe that was the problem. Daft idea, but we were desperate. Poor little dog died because of me. Didn't help, of course."

Rose licked her lips before biting her thumbnail, food forgotten by now. "I wasn't allowed to live in my flat anymore. Couldn't stay in the mansion, or go to work. Couldn't keep seeing the same people over and over. Was the prolonged exposure to Rose Tyler that was harmful. At first, anyway. Later it was just close proximity. It got so bad that if someone who was already sick got close to me, they slipped into a coma or got organ failure. But only humanoids. Isn't that weird, Doctor?"

Nodding slowly, the Doctor furrowed his brow. "Hm. Go on."

"Yeah, well…" she trailed off, not really in the mood of telling the rest. She ran her tongue over her teeth, looking nervously at the Doctor. "I was hiding out in a cabin in the woods. Couldn't use the internet or my phone, 'cause Torchwood wanted to contain me and run more tests. Sometimes Mickey and Jake visited and brought groceries. Not mum and dad, though. Seemed like people in their twenties were the most resilient, so they just couldn't risk it. Anyway, one day dad dropped by and then I knew something was serious. The board had held a secret meeting and he'd not been invited. But someone had told him what had happened, anyway. See, Torchwood had made a decision. Since my condition only got worse, they-" Averting her eyes, she cleared her throat before continuing. "They were going to kill me."

The Doctor looked livid. "They _what_?!"

"They didn't see any other solution, Doctor. Had to protect innocent people. I don't blame them."

"Oh, Rose..." the Doctor's black eyes turned brown again and he reached over the table, entwining his fingers with hers.

"Yeah," she drawled, looking the other way. "So I realised I had to get back. Was my only shot. And since I'm not a genius, I did it the only way I could figure out. I only know of one Time Agent, and I only know of two breaches so I didn't have much to choose from. I wrote down everything I could remember about Canary Wharf, and about Jack and hoped he was the same man in Pete's World. Remember that story he told us about Stonehenge in 2067? I wrote a message, included information only someone who knew him well would know, and told him we would meet in his future and that I needed a favour. Then I left it there, hoping it would still be there in 2067. Lucky for me, he showed up the next day. That was...weird, to say the least. Anyway, I had already packed a long time before that, magna-clamps and everything, because I'd been thinking about it ever since mum went to the hospital. Just didn't have the guts to do it before. But, yeah, Jack dropped me off at the time of the battle, I used a jumper and then I was back."

"And what have you been doing all of this time? It's been a year since Canary Wharf." The Doctor's voice was so gentle now and he looked genuinely concerned and that made it hard for her to keep her composure.

"Dad's really rich, and I sometimes had to go to these things." She made a face. "So I had a lot of fancy jewellery. I brought every little piece, and I've been pawning them off, living as anonymously as possible. Even wear a wig, most of the time. Not when I visit Canary Wharf, though. Was hoping I'd meet you there some day, yeah? That maybe you would come to remember. Didn't want to risk you not recognising me in case you watched from afar or something."

"Rose, I'd recognise you anywhere, no matter what."

Tears pooled in her eyes. "I was really angry with you, you know, but I knew deep down that you couldn't have known that would happen."

"I didn't, Rose. Had I known, I would've done everything in my power to stop it."

"Yeah. Doesn't matter anymore." She wiped a few tears off her cheeks. "You know, I needed to be close to the breach for the jumper to work, so I was right there, Doctor. Just one floor down, in a supply closet. And I kept thinking about that wall... Once the pull stopped I just wanted to run up to you. If you-if you felt even half of what I-" She bit her lip, shuddering. "I didn't want you to be sad. And at that point I hadn't seen my own family for months, so I was rather lonely as well. But I couldn't risk changing anything, so I kept my distance. Tried to keep track of you, but it was rather hard 'cause I… Well, I even thought about calling Sarah Jane, but I didn't dare. I've tried to make as small an impact as possible, Doctor, I really have. Learned my lesson back in 1987. I didn't dare do anything until I could finally meet you again. I didn't mean to cause trouble. I just didn't have a choice."

"Oh, Rose!" Getting up, he walked around the table, sat down beside her and pulled her onto his lap. "I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry," he murmured, rocking her as she wept into his shirt.

"I've been so lonely," she sobbed.

"Not anymore," he whispered, kissing the top of her head as he tightened his grip around her. "Your room is still here, Rose. Everything is just as you left it, if you want to stay."

Pulling back a little, she looked into his eyes. "Do _you_ want me to?" He nodded. "You sure? You didn't seem so keen on me being back earlier."

"I was just worried and shocked, Rose. I'd love for you to stay," he said, smiling so tenderly her stomach felt all warm and tingly.

"Okay, then I'll stay."

She burrowed her face into his now mascara stained shirt, breathing in his familiar scent. God, she'd missed this-well, not exactly this, since she'd never sat in his lap before-but she had missed hugging the Doctor. There was nothing in the whole, wide multiverse that could compare to that and that only made her cry harder. She might have started sobbing because of feeling miserable, guilty and wrong, but now her tears were born from relief, love and joy. Life had been hard for her the last couple of years; so, being embraced by the Doctor was like a healing balm for her broken soul.

They sat like that for a long time until her sobs eventually subsided. Sniffling, she wiped her nose on her sleeve. "Thank you," she said, hugging him one more time before sliding off his lap.

"Any time. And I mean that."

"Okay," she breathed, giving him a shy smile, but then she noticed they were alone. "Where's Martha?"

"Oh." The Doctor tugged at his ear. "Never even saw her leaving. Well, let's go look for her, Rose Tyler." He held out his hand, wiggling his fingers. "Allons-y!"


	3. The Ex

After Martha and the Doctor's trip to see Shakespeare she had delicately tried to hint to him that she needed a shower and clean underwear; however, he had seemed completely oblivious about personal hygiene. So, she had been forced to be blunt about it and he had ended up sonicking her clean. Right there on the spot. Sonicking! Thankfully, she had been fully dressed whilst he hovered the tool around her but it had still been very weird and she had been too shocked to tell him to bugger off.

When they returned from New Earth she had been adamant that she should have a real shower, and he had led her down some corridor and shown her a bathroom, thankfully equipped with toiletries and towels. He had also offered to sonic her clothes clean, but she had refused him. There was no way in hell she'd let the Doctor near her dirty clothes after she'd been kidnapped and spent hours in a dingy, old car. However, he had miraculously found a futuristic washing machine in a cupboard somewhere and she had been able to get her clothes clean and dry whilst showering.

Then came the Daleks, Lazarus and the sentient sun and Martha finally got, not only the opportunity to pop by her flat and get her clothes, but also her own room and a brief tour of the TARDIS. She already knew it was bigger on the inside, of course, but she had never understood how vast the time ship truly was. She had been too amazed by what she saw to be angry with the Doctor for not showing her anything but the console room, the galley and a loo her first week with him.

Martha had found the library during the tour, or rather _a_ library, since there apparently were several. She was a big Harry Potter fan and, since the Doctor of all people had claimed he had cried, she immediately looked for the seventh in the series. She had been overjoyed when she had found it; so, during the evenings, if she had enough energy-and that was a big if-she curled up on the sofa and read. So, when it had become clear to her that Rose's story mostly was for the Doctor's ears, Martha had snuck away to continue exploring the world of wizards.

First of all she didn't know any of the people in Pete's World, so keeping up with the story was a bit confusing. The Doctor, on the other hand, seemed to know these people very well. For every thing Rose shared, Martha came up with more questions but she knew it really wasn't the time to ask them. There was no doubt in her mind that Rose would stay, so she figured they would have time to talk and get to know one another. After a while it just felt like she was eavesdropping since the Doctor and Rose once again only had eyes for each other. Martha reckoned they wouldn't notice her leaving and she'd been right. Almost an hour passed before they showed up in the library, looking for her.

"Oh, there you are. Have you been in here long?" asked the Doctor.

She put her book down. "An hour, or so."

"Huh, never even noticed you leaving," said the Doctor, smiling brightly. Ugh, he could be so rude sometimes; at least Rose had the decency to blush.

"I missed this room so much," Rose said, joining Martha on the sofa and running her fingers over the armrest as the Doctor chose one of the adjacent armchairs.

"You missed the TARDIS, your New Earth bra, chips and the library. Should I be insulted?" asked the Doctor, arching an eyebrow.

"Why do you think I miss this room, then?" Rose grinned at him. Turning to Martha, she explained: "We always used to unwind in here. I've never been much of a reader, but our second trip was to see Dickens and when we got back to the TARDIS, the Doctor felt a strong need to educate me, so-"

"No," interrupted the Doctor. "Not educate. I am Dickens' number one fan and I just wanted to share his marvellous work with you-in a way that excluded film adaptations." He gave her a pointed look. "I asked her if she'd ever read A Christmas Carol, and she said she enjoyed _the film_. So I asked her which one, there are rather many after all, and she said Scrooged. Scrooged!"

"Well, excuse me for loving Bill Murray!" She grinned with her tongue poking out between her teeth. "I dunno why, but I just get restless reading, but I could listen to this one talking for hours-"

"Your very best quality."

"Shut up!" She kicked playfully in his direction. "The Doctor started reading to me in the evenings. First he read Great Expectations, then... What was it?"

"Oliver Twist."

"Oh, yeah, that's right. And then we just kept going. It's so funny, 'cause the old him only read, but this one always does voices. S'like I'm listening to radio theater, or something."

"Seems like the old him was really different," said Martha.

"Yes, but good different or bad different?" the Doctor asked Rose, smiling sweetly.

"Just different," she replied softly, and for a moment Martha felt completely invisible but then Rose spoke again. "Oh! We were right in the middle of David Copperfield when I..." Rose tucked some hair behind her ear, quickly ducking her head. "Anyway, maybe we can finish it now, yeah?"

"I'd like that," said the Doctor, smiling.

"Ooooh! I have a surprise for you," Rose said, bouncing a little in her seat. "Can't tell you what, just yet. But I'll give it to you once we stop by my place and get my stuff."

"Thought you said you didn't have stuff," the Doctor teased and Rose tried to kick him playfully again, but her leg was too short so he smirked smugly at her as she missed her target.

"We met Shakespeare," Martha told Rose, not really in the mood to watch her and the Doctor banter.

"Really? That's amazing."

"Fancied Martha, he did. And me, of course."

"Of course!" Rose giggled. "So, Martha and Shakespeare, yeah? What was that like?"

"He tried to kiss me!"

"Eeew, I've seen the paintings. Understand why you didn't let him."

"Nah, he was a bit of alright, actually. But the breath!" Making a face, Martha pretended to gag. "Well, everything smelled back then."

"Oh, yeah. One of those things they never write about in the time travel ads," Rose joked, turning to the Doctor and pointing at him. "You should really look into that, you know."

"What? That's part of the experience! Humans. You're so obsessed with cleanliness."

"Easy for you to say. You don't sweat, or get cavities or anything!"

"Did you know that he didn't bring me back home for a change of clothes for days? I basically had to force him to find a washing machine on the TARDIS," said Martha.

"Doctor!"

"What? We were busy," he said, dismissing the women's complaints with a wave of his hand. "Can't think about everything, now, can I?"

"You could at least have shown her the wardrobe room."

"There's a _wardrobe room_?" asked Martha, mouth hanging open.

"Doctor! You're on your way of earning yourself a good, old slap, you are."

The Doctor sulkily scrunched up his face, rubbing his non-slapped cheek. "Well, she has her own room, and bathroom, now and we stopped by her flat for some clothes. So, everything is fine. Right, Martha?"

Glaring at him, Martha folded her arms over her chest. When the Doctor had forgotten about her human needs, such as sleep, food and hygiene, she had assumed the reason was him being a clueless alien; also, when he had disappeared for hours into the bowels of the ship instead of spending time with her, she had figured he did that to everyone he travelled with.

Admittedly, they hung out sometimes and, on rare occasions, he opened up to her and told her something about his past. However, they mostly just travelled from one place to the next and rarely had any downtime in the TARDIS. When they did, Martha slept or just relaxed. A typical day in the TARDIS, Martha and the Doctor ate their three meals together and that was usually it. The more she heard about Rose's experience with the Doctor, the more she couldn't help but wonder why he had treated them so differently and how he had treated his past companions. Was Rose really that special or didn't he think Martha was worth his time and respect?

"Yeah, fine," Martha said sourly.

"See," said the oblivious Time Lord, looking at Rose.

"I hope you weren't this rude to the one before Martha."

Martha froze since Rose obviously was fishing for more information about the supposed ex.

"Donna?" The Doctor knitted his brow, scratching one sideburn. "Suppose I was rather rude in the beginning, but so was she. Started yelling at me and accusing me of kidnapping women! Me! Kidnapping! As if I would ever need to resort to that to find a companion." He scoffed. "I'll have you know that people usually run straight in here." He gestured wildly. "They don't even care if I want them to, or not."

"Why did she think you kidnapped women?" Rose asked bemusedly.

"Well, she found-" The Doctor's eyes widened and he blushed. Actually blushed. Not a lot, mind you, but the tips of his ears and his cheekbones were definitely tinted a light pink. Martha had never seen him blush before so this really piqued her interest. She shot Rose a quick glance and found the woman slightly frowning and focusing on the Doctor, who cleared his throat before continuing: "Er... She found her way into the TARDIS a bit unconventionally, assumed I had kidnapped her and started yelling at me. But I was completely innocent."

Martha was not convinced. That was a bad save, if she ever heard one, and she was sure Rose had noticed as well. However, for some reason the other woman let it slip and said: "Rude and loud, huh?"

"Oh, yes - and ginger!"

"Rude _and_ ginger? Wow, you must've been jealous," said Rose, making Martha wonder what this obsession with red hair was all about. "Did she stay with you long?"

"Nope. Asked her to come, but she said... Well, I was a bit..." He rubbed his neck, looking a little uncomfortable. "Suppose she didn't think she was cut out for this life."

"But you thought she was."

"Well, she was a laugh, kind at heart and very, _very_ stubborn - and the best ones always are." Ducking his head, he smiled softly and Martha noticed Rose stiffen.

"Do you, uhm, miss her?" Rose quietly asked, eyes a bit teary.

"Me? Nah, I'm alright." He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and started buzzing at the stains on his shirt. "Oh, would you look at that. Why didn't you tell me I was all dirty?"

"Oh, right." Standing up, Rose started backing out of the room. "Must be a right mess, me." She pointed at her mascara streaked face, laughing awkwardly. "Be right back."

The Doctor followed her with his eyes, looking a bit confused.

There was _something_ between the Doctor and Rose, but Martha didn't know what. They flirted and teased, but he'd been so annoyed with Rose earlier and didn't seem glad to have her back. When he had first invited Martha onboard he had mention ROse and said they were 'together'; however, Rose had said they hadn't been. Everything new Martha learned contradicted what she already thought she knew and she was baffled, to say the least. She didn't want to make things even more complicated for anyone, so she decided to tell the Doctor about her little blunder.

"Doctor, I have a confession to make." He looked at her with his eyebrows raised. "Before I knew who Rose was I told her a little about my life. I said I travelled with this bloke, and that he was hung up on his ex."

She scolded herself inwardly for blushing as the Doctor raised one of his eyebrows even further. She couldn't really figure out a more delicate way of telling him this, especially not as Rose could come back any minute, so she decided to just go for it.

"When we first met, I thought she was your ex-girlfriend, yeah? Was just, you said 'together', so it was a fair assumption to make! But then we all met and I wasn't so sure anymore. When we went to the chip shop I asked her if the two of you were ever, you know, and she said no. So when she asked me about your ex, I couldn't tell her who the ex was, could I? Think you would've been pretty upset with me, if I did. And I guess she thinks it's this Donna, now."

The Doctor was completely silent so Martha continued: "I'm sorry I messed things up, but I don't know how to fix it, 'cause I have no idea what happened between you two in the past. And I really didn't know who she was, honest." She raised her hands to show she didn't want anything to do with it anymore. "And really, it's not my place to say anything else about this to her. I've misunderstood the situation, and I would only make things worse."

"Yes, I think you've said quite enough," said the Doctor cooly.

"I'm really sorry, Doctor. I thought I was just talking to a stranger. I wouldn't have-"

"It's alright, Martha. I'll talk to her. Thank you."

They slipped into such an uncomfortable silence Martha decided to leave, so she had just gotten up from the sofa when the Doctor added: "Since we're staying one more day to tie up Rose's affairs, maybe you should visit your family, hm? Just call the TARDIS when you're ready, and we'll pick you up."

"Yeah, thanks, good idea," Martha mumbled, rushing to her room to get her phone and an overnight bag.

She was embarrassed and felt stupid but, considering everything, it had gone rather well. She'd been afraid that she'd mucked it up for herself so badly that the Doctor would want her to leave, and she really wanted to stay onboard, but he said they would pick her up and she wouldn't mind a little quality time with her family. She just hoped Rose wouldn't be upset with her, but they could talk after the Doctor had done his thing.

Hoisting the bag up on one shoulder, Martha headed out for the console room. Halfway there she she felt the TARDIS materialising and grabbed the walls of the corridor to steady herself. Well, the Doctor didn't waste time, did he? Since she didn't know where Rose's room was, and the Doctor had made it clear that he wanted Martha gone for the night, she just waved him goodbye and left.


	4. Doors

Emotions whirled within Rose as she walked to her room and it almost made her a little unsteady on her feet. She had tried so hard to always keep her hopes up but, in weak moments, she had truly believed she'd never set foot in there again. Here she was, though, in her home universe, in the TARDIS and in her room. The bed was an unmade wrinkly mess; several pairs of dirty shoes lay helter skelter about the room; a magazine was on the nightstand; her yellow silk dressing gown was thrown over one of the doors of her armoire and a black lacy bra over the other; a pair of polka dot knickers were kicked halfway under the bed; and the vanity was covered with beauty products and framed photos. Everything looked just the same. It was as though she'd never left. She _had_ been gone, though, and during that time the Doctor had fallen for yet another woman.

It didn't matter that Rose had been trapped in a parallel world for, what they believed, ever or that she and the Doctor had never actually been together. She still felt betrayed. Sometimes she went out in _this_ London, dressed in skimpy outfits and one of her wigs, just to dance her troubles away and she turned down a handful of blokes every time. Her heart, body and soul belonged to the Doctor and she had been foolish enough to believe he felt the same.

Feeling tears welling up in her eyes once more, she threw herself on the bed and burrowed her nose into the pillow to muffle her cries. It didn't smell like it used to; it smelled like the Doctor. Feeling a bit silly, she started sniffing around the bed like a dog to be certain and, to her surprise, found something else entirely: one of her photo albums forgotten under the duvet. She usually kept it in her drawer and she was sure she hadn't left it in her bed. She took another sniff of her pillow and decided that, yes, it was definitely his scent. Had he been coming in here to reminisce? She wanted to flip through the album herself but, since the others were waiting, she put it back and went into the en-suite to wash her face.

Her toiletries were still there and, since most of them were bought in the distant future, the preservatives were so amazing she could still use most of her products. Massaging the liquid into her skin, she couldn't stop picturing the Doctor lying in her bed and looking through her photos. He _must_ have missed her.

Her face was covered by a towel as she patted herself dry so when she heard a 'hello', she jumped and let out a yelp. It was the Doctor and she hadn't heard him enter the room at all. That was just like him, the sneaky bastard. She had learned early on that, if she wanted privacy, she had to lock both of her bedroom doors; just closing them didn't mean anything to the Doctor.

She hung up the towel and saw him leaning against the doorframe. She wanted to ask him if he'd been spending time in her room but, since she didn't have the guts, she settled on repeating his greeting.

He averted his eyes. "You've been gone for a while..."

"Yeah, sorry…" She chuckled nervously, knowing he didn't mean just now but unsure of how to respond. "Been so long. Got caught up in memories."

The Doctor nodded. "Martha went home to see her family, so it's just you and me tonight. What would you like to do?"

"Would it be all right if we got my things? I just want that part of my life over with."

"Of course. Does this mean I get my surprise? I haven't forgotten, you know. Good memory, you know?" He tapped his temple with his index finger.

"Yeah. Allons-y?" she said a bit shyly, holding out her how to behave was hard. Would it be okay to slip into old habits or did he expect her to keep her distance? He was right, after all. She _had_ been gone for a while and people usually moved on. However, the Doctor took the proffered hand, grinning as he made an effort to tug her out to the console room, so she let out a sigh of relief and gladly followed him. 

* * *

Rose asked the Doctor to stay in the TARDIS, since she didn't want him to see the dump she was staying at. Besides, she would take long since all of her belongings were already packed up and hidden under the floorboards in the attic of the abandoned building she stayed at. At first she had used motels, but after a while she had realised that she would run out of money too soon if she kept up that lifestyle. London was expensive, she didn't have endless of jewellery and she didn't dare getting a job, in case anyone would recognise her.

There was always the psychic paper she'd had on her person when she got to Pete's World but she didn't want to steal. However, she did use it to get into clubs and to sneak into hotels to shower, since it worked on the electronic locks some places had. Clothes hadn't been a priority, but she had brought a few expensive outfits from Pete's World and, when she dressed like that, everyone assumed she belonged as she waltzed into some posh place.

Taking a final look around the room, she grabbed her bags and left. Granted, it beat living in the woods but she sure as hell wouldn't miss it.

The Doctor was waiting in the console room for her. She could tell by the way he was looking at her that he knew just what kind of building she'd lived in, but he didn't say anything about it so neither did she. She placed one of her bags on the jump-seat and opened it up.

"Ready?" she asked, and he nodded, smiling. "Okay, so in Pete's World Dickens actually wrote one more novel. I would never have figured it out just by the title. But you said he died shortly after we met him, yeah, and Pete's World's Dickens died in 1875." She pulled out an old leather bound book. "I saw this in an antique bookshop and thought of you, so I got it. You know, in case we'd ever..." She shrugged, holding out the book.

"Oh, Rose..." He stared at the book in her hands, looking like he was afraid to touch it.

"I know I shouldn't have brought it to our universe, but I reckoned if it stays in the TARDIS it wouldn't do any harm, yeah?"

"Yeah," he breathed, eyes still locked on the book. Reaching out, he ran his fingers over the cover. "It's... It's perfect."

"Don't get too choked up yet, Doctor. I'm not done, you know."

He looked up at her, beaming. "No?"

She pulled out a small envelope. "I had this tea at this place, and it tasted just like bananas. So I asked about it, and I got a really long explanation and I don't remember even half of it. But it's a tea plant, yeah, only it taste like bananas. S'really good for you, too. Never heard of it before, but it's really common over there. So I got some seeds and maybe we could plant it in the garden? Make our own tea? It's called, uhm," scrunching up her face, she looked up and tried to remember the name, "Musa Camellia Sinensis, they said. Oh, and here I have..."

Rummaging through her belongings, she picked up one little thing after another and told him what it was and why she had bought it, until the Doctor stilled her hands with his.

"Rose, how many things do you have in there?"

Fidgeting with her earring, she looked away. "S'just that at first I...well...I thought maybe you'd find a way to bring me back home. So every time I saw something that reminded me of you, I bought it. And then Bad Wolf Bay happened, and you said we couldn't ever... But it was a habit by then, so I just kept at it. Maybe one day, you know?" She swallowed. "Stranger things have happened. Obviously."

The Doctor was quiet for several heartbeats, but then he drew her in for a hug and she relaxed against his chest with her head tucked under his chin. "Thank you, Rose. Maybe we can read my new book once we're done with David Copperfield, hm?"

Nodding, she hugged him even harder and it was such a beautiful moment, but then her stupid stomach rumbled and ruined the mood. "I'm getting hungry, it seems." She laughed awkwardly.

"Me too," he said, and she could hear on his voice that he was smiling. His hands slid down to her waist as he pulled back. "Takeout?" 

* * *

They picked up some curry and the Doctor punched in coordinates for a secret location. Once they materialised, he opened the doors, sat down, and dangled his legs outside, motioning Rose to join him. They were hovering in the air high up over a suburban neighbourhood.

"Won't they see us?"

"Nah. Perception filter, remember?"

She tore off a piece of her naan bread. "Why are we here?"

"Wait," he said in a hushed tone, even though no one was close enough to hear him, holding up his hand. After a few seconds he pointed at a ginger woman with a couple of shopping bags in her hands, walking down the street. "See that woman? That's Donna."

"_Your_ Donna?"

"She's not _my_ Donna, Rose." He shoved some food into his mouth. "I'd been alone since Canary Wharf, but then she materialised inside the console room in her wedding dress on Christmas and I helped her to get back to her wedding. As it turned out, her husband-to-be was a right bastard. He'd used Donna to help a Racnoss-a spider-like alien-with her nefarious plans. But Donna and I saved the day. Used Segways to get there, and then there were some explosions. You know, the usual."

"Explosions? That's a little ninth body, isn't it?" She nudged him in the side with her elbow.

"Suppose." He gave her a crooked smile. "Lance, her fiancé, didn't make it. I asked her to come with me, she asked me to join her family for Christmas dinner. Both of us turned the other down. But before I left, she told me to find someone, that I shouldn't be alone."

"You really shouldn't. You need someone to hold your hand." She weaved her fingers with his.

"Yes, that I do. But I found Martha, and now I have you again, so I have four hands to hold." Winking, he released her hand to continue eating.

"Yeah," she said, but all she could think about was what he was really telling her. Had Donna really been the only companion between her and Martha? Because, if so, that meant Rose was the ex and she _wasn't_. Not unless Time Lords had a very different definition than humans.

She looked at him, trying to find a sign of him telling her something important, but he just sat there contentedly and ate his curry. Stupid, confusing alien! Unless Bad Wolf Bay had completely slipped his mind, he knew how she had felt about him and not even he could be so daft that he didn't understand she was still feeling it. So why didn't he act on it?

She wanted to ask him what he was waiting for, but she had spent years by his side without ever talking about the thing brewing between them and it was really hard to start now. She'd just gotten back and they had both changed so much. They needed to get to know each other again before she could muster up the courage to have The Talk. Or maybe, if she was really lucky, he'd come to her before that. Well, that wasn't bloody likely, to be honest. She snorted at the thought and the Doctor looked at her with an amused expression on his face.

"What?"

"Just thought of you on a segway," she lied, grinning at him.

"What's so funny about that?"

"I can see it now. Must've painted a rather menacing picture." She gestured with her hand in the air and, using a mysterious voice, continued: "Oooh, here comes the Oncoming Storm to hinder your evil plotting. Beware, bad aliens everywhere, none is safe. Unless you can run faster than a turtle, that is."

"Oi! Was very efficient! And I reckon I looked rather dashing on it." He cockily adjusted his tie.

"I'm sure you did. Wish I'd been there to see it."

She could've sworn his eyes turned dark for a moment but then he was all smiles again. "Me too. Now eat up before your curry gets cold, Rose Tyler. You're under my watch, now, and I can't have you lose anymore weight than you already have."

Rose couldn't help but wince a little. There was a good reason as to why she'd lost all that weight. She had yet to tell him everything that had happened, nor had she been one hundred percent truthful when sharing her story, but she didn't feel like telling him exactly how hard life had been for her. He knew enough for now.

"Oops. Rude again?" He smiled apologetically.

"Yeah, but I forgive you." She scooped up some more food, making a great show of putting it in her mouth. "See, eating."

"Good. Rose, I-" He got silent and looked at her in that way that made her absolutely sure he knew just how much she had omitted. However, he seemed to think better of it because he replaced the look with a bright smile. "I think I'm in the mood for some reading after this." 

* * *

It had been a long, long day. Reunion with the Doctor; fight with the Doctor; sharing her heartbreaking story; getting to know a new companion; misunderstandings, chips, curry and gifts. Rose was knackered. They had spent the rest of the evening in the library, where the Doctor's voice had lulled her to sleep. He had woken her up, walked with her to her room and then they had shared a moment outside her door where neither had known what to do. Well, at least she knew she wanted him to stay. They'd been apart for so long and the thought of not having him close made her scared. Shuffling a little, he didn't quite meet her eye, but he didn't leave or say goodnight either so she got the feeling he felt the same.

However, he was the Doctor and he wouldn't suggest it himself so she had to do it herself. "Would you like to join me?"

His eyes widened. "Would I _what_?"

"Like we used to sometimes when it was... When we'd had a rough day."

"Oh." He scratched on of his sideburns. "Yeah, sure."

Back then he used to sit on the toilet seat as she did her nightly routine and then she would shoo him out so she could change into her jimjams. When she returned to her bedroom, he was usually already sitting on the bed-suit jacket, tie and shoes removed-waiting for her. They never did spoon or snuggle; he just sat beside her, leaning against the headboard and reading, as she tried to fall asleep. They slipped into their old habit as easy as though she had never left.

Turning on her side in the bed and trying to get comfortable, she noticed the door. It was still there.

On the left wall in her room was a door which lead to the Doctor's bedroom. She didn't know any other way to get there, but she knew it wasn't the only door to his room. It had appeared the day she had met her father. They had gotten home to the TARDIS and she'd been exhausted. The Doctor had been eaten by Reapers right in front of her; she'd seen her father die several times over; her mother had been condescending to her and assumed that Rose was Pete's mistress; and she'd realised that her mother had mostly told her lies about her father. So for the first time in their travels, it had just been too much for Rose to handle.

She never understood how they ended up in his bedroom, but the Doctor had claimed that, after she started crying so hard she could barely walk, he had just carried her from the console room and walked through the first door that popped up. He had placed her on his bed and stayed with her until she'd fallen asleep, but she'd been having nightmares, so a couple of hours later he had woken her up.

Apparently he'd been sitting beside her, reading, when she had begun to scream in her sleep. So, she'd told him about the nightmare she'd been having: dragons had been devouring everyone she'd ever loved and it had all been her fault. The Doctor had looked remorseful and then, to her big surprise, he had actually _apologised_ to her for not explaining the rules of time travelling better and for not handling the situation very well. Rose had sat with her mouth hanging open for several seconds until he'd closed it by pressing her chin up with his index finger, face breaking out into his daft grin.

After talking a little and, she had yawned one time too many, and he'd urged her to go back to sleep. She hadn't wanted be be alone but, before she'd had time to ask, he had shown her she could stay by pulling the covers over her and grabbing her hand. She'd slept like a baby that night. When she woke up the following morning, she found herself being alone in the bed; however, there was a new door in the wall. Eager to know where it lead, she opened it and found her own room on the other side. The door never went away after that.

It didn't happen often but now and again one of them had a bad dream and the other came rushing through the adjoining door to be of comfort. So, seeing it now and knowing that it was still there, really warmed her heart. Full of emotion, she noticed the Doctor's hand lying so close to her and she couldn't help herself. She grabbed his hand and hugged his arm close to her body, snuggling her nose into the fabric of his sleeve.

"I missed you," she whispered, hoping he wouldn't pull his arm away.

"I know. Nuh-night, Rose," he replied softly, squeezing her hand and letting his arm stay where it was.


	5. Sharing

Standing in the galley and chopping vegetables, Martha told the Doctor what she'd been doing with her family during her visit. She was never sure if he was actually listening when she chatted with him but, since he had yet to stop her, she continued. After calling the TARDIS at four, he had picked her up and, before coming aboard, she had asked him if he'd talked to Rose. However, he had just said that he'd told Rose who Donna was and Martha didn't really know what to make of that. What she did know, though, was that she would watch what she let slip from now on. She would just let the others take the lead and try not to muck things up further.

"She's still sleeping? Is she ill?" asked Martha, since it was past five in the afternoon and there still was no Rose in sight.

"Nah, but I reckon she could use the rest. We were up late, and she's been through a lot. Think it's the first time in a long time she got to sleep in a real bed."

"Really?"

"She's not telling me everything, Martha." Tilting his head down, he looked at her over the rim of his glasses. "Maybe she'll open up to you. Female humans tend to share, in most societies." The Doctor turned his attention to the cooking again and, looking like he didn't really care for the answer, he asked: "Do you like her?"

She poured the vegetables into a wook pan. "Yeah, I do."

He gave her one of those smiles that made her warm all the way down to her toes. "Good. I'm glad."

After they finished cooking and setting the table, Martha asked him if he wanted her to go wake up Rose.

"Nope. I checked on her earlier. She was at the end of her sleeping cycle. She should be here any minute now."

"Okay," Martha drawled, widening her eyes. "That's not creepy at all," she added under her breath.

"She doesn't mind." His head cocked a little to the side and his nostrils flared. "Ah, here she is now."

Martha's eyes grew even wider but this time she kept to herself just how creepy she found him. Could he actually tell by _smell_ that someone was entering the room? Shuddering, she tried hard not to think about everything else he probably could smell.

Rose appeared in the galley, still looking half asleep. She was dressed in the most ridiculous, pink jimjams with little, green aliens eating bananas; her hair was all over the place; and she had a brush in her hand. Sitting down on one of the chairs, she propped her feet up on another, slumped down and tried to make sense of the rat's nest on top of her head.

"Morning." She yawned and then scrunched up her face, staring down a particularly messy lock as though her glares alone could untangle it.

"Morning." The Doctor's face was illuminated by the widest smile as he made a happy noise in the back of his throat.

Rose looked at him from under the strand that refused to be sorted, tongue touching the corner of her mouth in concentration. "Wha'?"

"Nothing. Just… You're wearing the jimjams I got you at Do'Nsag."

"Yeah, so? Didn't you see that last night?"

"Well, yes, but you're sitting in the galley, brushing your hair..." He gestured vaguely with his hand, looking like a smitten teenager.

"Yeah, so?" She let out a yelp as the brush got stuck in her hair.

Snorted at the sight, the Doctor quickly washed and dried his hands and walked over to her. "Honestly, Rose," he said, gently combing through her hair with his fingers. "Didn't your hairdresser of a mother teach you anything? Do you even know how to use a brush?"

"Think I slept too long. Brain not working. Fingers not knowing. Something, something. Mm, that feels goooood," she murmured, sighing happily.

The Doctor started using the brush instead of his fingers, making sure all of Rose's hair was smooth before putting the brush down on the table. Rose gathered her hair to make a bun but the Doctor swatted at her hands.

"Stop it! I've seen your buns. You'll only make a mess of it," he said, as his clever fingers fixed her blond hair into two neat French braids, one on each side of her head. "There. Perfect," he stated, looking very proud of himself.

Feeling her head with her hands, Rose said in a teasing tone: "I'm sure you're the best braider in the galaxy-" The Doctor coughed and Rose giggled. "Sorry, whole wide _multiverse_. Maybe we could find out? Must be some sort of braiding contest somewhere in the universe, yeah?"

"Oh, yes. And I would win it. But not tonight, we're staying in."

"Are we having a slumber party?" teased Martha, pressing her lips together to stop herself from laughing at what she had just witnessed. "Maybe paint our nails and chat about boys? Ooh, Bridget Jones and popcorn in the media room?"

"I wouldn't mind that last part, actually," said Rose, but then she turned to the Doctor with a stern look on her face. "But I better get some brand new alien ground under my feet soon. These legs are in some serious need of running for their lives."

"Rose, as jeopardy friendly as you are, I am certain the need to run for our lives will arise not even twenty minutes after we step outside of the TARDIS."

Grinning, she stuck out her tongue. "Good!" 

* * *

The Doctor disappeared under the grating in the console room to tinker after dinner and Rose and Martha decided that films, snacks and the media room was a rather good idea. However, not even halfway into the film they forgot all about the plot and started chatting instead. Not about the Doctor or time travel, aliens or space, but about their past, their families and just normal Earth stuff. It was nice, really nice. Martha realised that, even though they had lived very different lives, they were actually rather similar. Headstrong, compassionate, bright and brave-and always up for a laugh.

Some time during their talk the film ended but, since they didn't notice, the TARDIS kindly started the sequel. So, the conversation shifted to life on a sentient time ship, and this was really something Martha had needed to talk about. Rose told her that, since both her mum and her best mate Mickey, had been onboard the TARDIS she could talk about it with them. However, Martha didn't have anyone she could share her stories with and it wasn't as though she could laugh about all the weird stuff with the Doctor.

So, she began telling Rose a few anecdotes from her experiences with the ship, like how she sometimes found the door to her bedroom right after the console room when she was really tired and how the ship once hid all of the jam after the Doctor spilled some on the console. She also talked about the time she found a puppy in the library and how she still didn't know how it got there or where it went afterwards. Lastly, Martha told Rose about the time she had realised the TARDIS having a vindictive streak. Martha had kicked the walls in anger at something and the TARDIS had retaliated by not letting her find the loo for hours.

"And I really needed to go, too!" She laughed. "But we're friends now. When I got my room, it looked like a hotel room. Pretty, and everything, but generic. Then a few months ago when I was going to bed, I opened the door and everything had changed. The bed was wider, all the colours were perfect, I had a telly, plush carpet, bigger wardrobe… Even a mini fridge!"

"A mini fridge? That's a great idea. Why didn't I ever think of that?"

"'Cause you probably have a Time Lord who comes to your room with a tray of food when you're too tired to go to the galley?" Martha was joking but, to her surprise, Rose ducked her head as her cheeks turned pink. "Oh my god. Does he really do that?"

"Has happened. He can be very attentive, when he's in the mood. Or when he wants something..."

Martha snorted. "To some people, maybe. Once I got lost and wandered the hallways for hours, and he hadn't even noticed me missing."

"Really? He's been such a prat to you, hasn't he?"

"Occasionally, suppose. But it's been good, too. I know he'll always save me and I've saved him more times than I can count and I feel like he needs me. Sure, he might not be the most forthcoming bloke I've ever met, but... Seems like you just have to wait and be patient, and then he opens up and shares something wonderful with you."

"Yeah. Or sometimes the TARDIS intervenes." Rose laughed. "Once we had this fight that lasted almost two days, and we barely said a word to each other besides 'Pass the jam, thanks.'"

"At least you were polite." Martha winked.

"Ha! Yeah, guess so. Anyway, the TARDIS removed the door to the galley and we were locked inside for five and a half hours. She wanted us to kiss and make up."

"Nooo, she does that?" Martha asked in disbelief, staring around the room as though she could discern something about the nature of the TARDIS by looking at the walls. "What was your fight about?"

"Oh, nothing special." Rose shrugged but her facial expression didn't really match her unaffected voice. "It was silly, really. Just one of those situations that shouldn't be complicated, but is anyway. You know." She waved dismissively with her hand.

"So, did it work?"

"Yeah. You know him. Too restless to sit still for too long. After four and a half hours, he started explaining himself by rambling. A lot. And when we'd been in there for five hours and twenty-eight minutes he apologised and then we hugged and the door came back. Mickey was so worried." She chuckled. "Had no clue what was going on, poor fella, and had been searching for us for hours."

Shifting in her seat, Rose pulled up her legs and hugged them to her chest. When she began speaking again, her tone turned more serious. "It's funny. He always says he's so sorry, but he has such a hard time apologising when it really matters. Maybe it's the Time Lord in him. Kinda hard to know, since he's the last one, yeah? Don't really have anyone to compare him to, now that is planet is gone."

"Maybe he's just a git."

Rose grinned widely. "That's probably it."

"His planet did sound lovely, though. Gallifrey- the Shining World of the Seven Systems..." Martha sighed, dreamily staring into open space. "The way he described it… All orange skies, two suns, snow-capped mountains, golden fields… Even a citadel! Oh, I wish I could've seen that. He told me about how him and his childhood friend used to run around in the red grass with the sun hitting the silver leaves on the trees surrounding them. Looked like fire, he said. Was completely entranced, even though I was tired, dirty and hungry, like he was telling a fairytale. Can't even imagine his loss. Not only his wife, kids, brother, whole family, yeah, but the entire planet, too."

Turning to Rose, Martha found her new friend staring at her in shock. Her face was pale, her eyes big, round and glassy and her mouth was hanging slightly open.

Martha placed her hand on Rose's arm. "Are you okay?"

"Wha'? Yeah, I'm all right."

"You don't look alright." Martha's fingers instinctivly slipped down to Rose's wrist. "Your pulse is racing."

She averted her eyes. "No, it's okay. I, uhm... I just find the Time War a bit upsetting."

"Tell me about it. Sometimes when he's really rude or withdrawn or impossible-so every other day, basically-I think about what he's gone through to remind myself to cut him some slack. Sometimes it amazes me he can even crawl out of bed in the mornings, to be honest. All of that on his conscience..."

"Yeah," Rose croaked. "Listen, this was really nice. We should do it again tomorrow, yeah? I think I'm turning in, now."

Martha knitted her brow with concern. "Already? You just got out of bed."

"It's been two very long years. I need the rest." She laughed half-heartedly.

"Okay..." Martha frowned as she watched Rose leave. What the hell was that all about, then? Had she said the wrong thing _again_? 

* * *

Gallifrey… Granted, the Doctor had told her a little about the Time Wa, and that his planet had burned, but Rose had never heard him mention the name before and he had definitely not described his planet to her. Neither had he shared anything about his family other than 'I was a dad once'. Martha had said that one only needed to be patient for the Doctor to open up. Rose had always assumed this to be true but now she was starting to doubt it. Martha had been travelling with him for six months, whilst Rose had been by his side for over two years and yet Martha knew more about him. It wasn't that Rose minded breakfast in bed, a foot rub after running too much or having her hair braided-not at all-but if she had to pick between the Doctor coddling her and the Doctor sharing important things with her, she sure as hell wouldn't have trouble choosing the latter.

Stalking into her en-suite, she unplaited her hair with angry movements; undressed herself and tossed the jimjams in the laundry chute; turned on the faucet and poured generous amounts of the bubble bath solution they had bought on Ulysses 14 into the tub; and lit a few scented candles. Sliding into the hot water, she let out a long, soft moan. Having to adjust to life outside the TARDIS had not been easy and she had realised that she had come to take the wonderful time ship for granted during her time with the Doctor. Reaching out, she patted the wall fondly and murmured a thanks as the TARDIS dimmed the lights in the room. The tub was shaped in a way that made it able for Rose to relax completely without there being any risk of her head sliding beneath the surface.

God, it had been so long since she'd had a decent bath and it felt wonderful and yet Rose couldn't relax. Realising she had a scowl fixed on her face, she willed her features to soften only to have it return on its own accord once she stopped thinking about it. Martha having sharing-your-past sessions with the Doctor wasn't the only thing that hurt, though. No, it was the fact that the first time Rose heard the name of his planet it was from someone else's lips. It would be easier to become angry with Martha instead but Rose really couldn't blame her. The other woman had done nothing wrong. She was great and Rose really liked her, which only made things worse.

Even after all this time, Rose cringed when she thought about how she reacted when she met Sarah Jane. She had been petty and immature-well, they both had been, to be honest-and she was ashamed of her conduct. Martha, on the other hand, had treated Rose well and with respect even though they were both in love with the same man. No wonder he had chosen to open up to her instead of Rose. She tightened her fists and hit the surface, making droplets and bubbles fly about the room.

"Rose, are you punching the water?" she heard the Doctor say.

Oh, great. She'd forgotten to lock her doors. Well, at least the foam was high, wide and covered the entire surface. All he could see was her head.

"Doctor," she said tiredly. "Would it hurt you to knock?"

He pouted. "I never needed to before."

"What do you want?"

He sat down on the edge of the tub. "I went to the media room to join you, but you'd gone. Martha said you weren't feeling well."

"S'just, I've been alone for a long time now. And you, the both of you, are really lovely, and everything, but I needed a little me-time. You understand, yeah?"

"Of course. I'm known to need the very same."

"Me-time or you-time?" she asked, flashing him her trademark grin.

"Both," he admitted, beaming back at her. However, his smile faded and he looked at her in concern for a moment before saying; "Rose, why didn't you just call the TARDIS? You didn't have to be alone that long."

"I don't have the number." She let out a hollow laugh. "Had it on my old phone, the one Mickey kept. But he never thought he would need any of my contacts again, so he erased them all. And I don't actually have the TARDIS number on my other phone. Never needed it. We were always together. And I don't know it by heart, 'cause it's like fifteen digits long and I've barely dialed it once."

"Twenty two, actually. And you've dialed it at least five times."

She made a face. "Whatever. I reckoned Bad Wolf Bay happened at the most six months after the battle, so after I'd been here for that long I tried finding alien trouble and went regularily to Canary Wharf, hoping I'd run into you. But you never showed."

"No, I never go there."

"Yeah, should've known."

"Rose, it's not-"

He got interrupted by Martha knocking at the doorjamb as she entered the room. "Oh, sorry." She froze when she saw that Rose was in the tub. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No, not at all. What is it?" asked the Doctor.

"Sorry, I wouldn't have... I didn't know what room it was. I would never have just barged in-"

"Martha, what is it?"

"The console is beeping and I heard your voices, and all the doors were wide open, so..." Martha shrugged.

The Doctor rushed out of the room and Martha turned to follow him, but Rose called after her, making her halt. "Yeah?"

"I just wanted to say thanks. Had a really lovely time, tonight. S'just...I've not had friends for over a year. It's a little bit overwhelming, yeah?"

"Not a single one?!"

"Didn't dare to. I'm not supposed to be here. I'm dead. I ran into my best mate Shareen once. Had a dark brown wig on but she recognised me anyway. I pretended to be Italian and she bought it. But for a split second, she thought I was me and, god, I was so scared. Couldn't risk ruining something. Done that before, and the Doctor got eaten and the world almost ended."

"The Doctor got what?"

"Eaten. By dragons. In a church."

"When you think you've heard it all..." Looking over her shoulder, Martha leaned in closer. "So, does he always sit with you when you're taking a bath?"

"God, no. But he never knocks, so it's known to happen."

"Doesn't it annoy you, though?"

"Got used to it pretty quickly. You know what he's like. Always needs an audience. He respects a locked door, though, unless it's an emergency. But I only lock it when I use the loo or-" Biting her lip, Rose stared at Martha as her already flushed face grew redder.

"What?"

"Masturbate," she squeaked, and then both women started laughing. "It would probably kill him if he walked in on me doing that. He'd be so scared he'd not even regenerate."

"I've not dared doing that here," Martha confessed, and Rose could see she was both embarrassed and intrigued by the subject. "Feels like the TARDIS would know and then he would know...or something."

"Oh, I'd go barmy if I didn't. Don't get me wrong. I love life on the TARDIS dearly, but I've never been as sexually frustrated in my life." She grabbed the edge of the tub, moving closer to Martha and whispering: "I haven't had sex in four years."

"FOUR YEARS?!" yelled Martha just as the Doctor decided to return to the room.

"'Four years', what?" he asked, and the others started giggling like crazy. "What?" He frowned as he looked at them in turn. "What?!" They giggled even harder. "Oh, not this again," he said with a heavy sigh. "We have a distress call. Anyone fancy joining me on an adventure?"

"Yeah, sure," Rose managed to get out between giggles.

"Do you think that's a good idea, Rose? Maybe you should sit this one out."

"Not a chance. Lemme just get dressed."

"If you say so," he said, grabbing a towel and handing it to her.

"Doctor."

"Yes?"

She gave him a you-just-dribbled-on-your-shirt look.

"What?"

"D'you mind?"

"Oh. Right. Sorry. I, er, I'll be waiting in the console room, then." Tugging at his ear, he looked very innocent before darting out of the room as fast as a cheetah, leaving the women giggling in the en-suite.


	6. Coddling

Rose bounced to the console room and down the ramp after getting out of the bath and dressing herself. She was in a great mood and could barely wait to get out in the universe again. During the two years she spent since Canary Wharf, she had truly missed travelling in the TARDIS. So, this was just wonderful! Besides, she could do with something fun and adventurous to keep her from dwelling on things that would only upset her.

The Doctor rushed to the doors. "Rose, wait! Let me go out first!" He put his hands on her shoulders. "Are you really sure you want to come?"

"Yes! Now open the door, already." She rolled her eyes, so the Doctor complied.

They were parked in a clearing surrounded by shrubs, enormous, red flowers and high trees with twisted trunks and vines hanging from the branches. The air was humid, hot and filled with all different kinds of bird songs, insect chirps and the occasional monkey call. Well, it at least sounded like monkeys to Rose's ears.

"Ah, the Shoibleaut Forest. We're on Pluck IV, which was terraformed for humans, oh," he sniffed the air, "a hundred years ago, or so." He pulled out his sonic screwdriver. "The distress call is coming from somewhere inside," moving the gadget around, he locked on to the signal, "there." He pointed to the left of the timeship and started walking.

"Why can't we just land there directly?"

The Doctor shook his head. "Oh, Martha. Where's your sense of adventure?"

"Also known as 'I didn't pass my driver's test'," Martha whispered to Rose and, as they giggled, the Doctor turned around, frowning at them-which only had the opposite effect of what he intended.

They trekked through the forest in silence, entranced by the beautiful nature around them. Everything smelled amazing: the gorgeous flowers; the moist dark brown ground; the fruit bearing trees...

"Oh, strawberry guava," said Martha, picking a round, dark red fruit from one of the bushes. Biting into it, she made a contented noise. "So good."

Rose wanted to have a taste herself, since she'd never even heard of the fruit, and Martha told her to pick a soft one. However, she'd barely held it for more than two seconds before the Doctor was by her side, snatching the fruit out of her hand.

"Don't eat that!" He sonicked both the fruit and Rose, carefully checking the readings.

Martha dropped her fruit, gaping at the Doctor. "Is it poisonous?"

"Er, no, no. No. It's fine. One can never be too careful, though. Carry on!"

"Wait," said Martha, still looking a bit scared. "Are you sure? Your reaction..."

"Well," he drawled, scratching the nape of his neck. "Rose has been in a parallel universe for a year. Never know how she might react to things, you see. Had to make sure. Now, we have a distress call to investigate so stop mucking about and get a move on."

Exchanging looks, Rose and Martha shrugged and followed the Doctor deeper into the forest.

They had been walking for an hour when they finally reached the origin of the signal. The Doctor held out his hand, as to say 'stop', and crouched down behind a bush. Up ahead there was a campfire with ten or so humans sitting in a circle around it and talking, but the trio couldn't make out any words. Rose reckoned they all looked friendly enough but she did notice a few weapons. Behind them was a cave and on both sides there were shelters made from tarp and leaves. They could see at least fifteen more adults bustling around and a handful of kids playing.

The Doctor peered through the leaves for a couple of minutes before turning to his companions and telling them to stay put. He walked briskly forward and Rose started to follow him, but was stopped by Martha grabbing her arm.

"He told us to stay." Martha said.

"So?"

"Well, he's the Doctor..."

"Exactly. Didn't you just tell me you save him on a regular basis? Can't let him walk in there alone. He'll probably be rude and offend someone, and they're gonna lock him up and feed him to some trolls, or something."

"Oh my god, you're right. Let's go."

They caught up with the Doctor just as he reached the campsite and he turned around, looking at them disapprovingly, but Rose just rolled her eyes at him. Grabbing her hand, he positioned himself in a way that protected her from the potential line of fire. Not that the people had actual firearms as far as they could see, only machete-looking weapons, but Rose knew what he was doing. She yanked her hand back and took a step forward so she stood beside him. She was a Torchwood agent, for goodness' sake! Admittedly, she'd barely been out of the training program when she'd been forced to quit, but everyone had said she was a natural.

The Doctor's face slit into a friendly smile. "Hello. I'm the Doctor, and this is Rose and Martha. We picked up your distress signal."

A short and stocky brunette stepped up, eying them from their heads to their toes. "Name's Coco. I'm the leader of this group. And how, exactly, are you," she pointed at them with her machete, "supposed to save us?"

"Oh, you need saving?"

"Do people send out distress signals for other reasons?"

"Well..." he drawled, making a face. "So, in what way do you need saving?"

"We were on our way to Port Fourteen when we had an accident and crashed here. We've been sending out a signal for over four weeks."

"That it? Well, I've got a ship an hour that way." He gestured over his shoulder. "I can get you to Port Fourteen in a jiffy." Tugging at his ear, he added to Rose and Martha: "A bit disappointing, really, but you can't have fun adventures every time, can you?"

"We can't leave. They've got our children," said Coco.

The Doctor suddenly looked intrigued. "Ooh! And who're 'they'?"

"Dunno what they're called." Coco cast nervous glances around them. "They come at night and just snatch the children. They've got ten of them already, and we don't stand a chance. They're quick and completely silent, seem to have night vision and excellent hearing. Bipedal, blue, fangs, claws, tail with a spike... Ring any bells?"

The Doctor paled. "Yes. They're called Mucambars. Thought they were just a legend." His eyes swept over the group. "How many have you lost?"

"How did you..." Coco narrowed her eyes for a moment before answering him. "Eleven men and women. During the snatchings as well as when we've gone out in the jungle to try and get the children back."

"Do you know where their lair is located?"

"Yes. Two hours that way." She pointed to her left with her machete. "But you won't make it."

"I might. Is there any place we can talk in private?"

"Excuse me, Doctor, but what can three unarmed people do against Them?"

"I can help. Trust me."

Coco stared at them for a moment, really taking in their appearances, but then she shrugged. "Not like we have anything to lose. Follow me."

The Doctor turned to Rose and Martha, saying in a hushed tone: "Go back to the TARDIS and wait for me there. The Mucambars won't be out at this hour, and you'll be safe for at least four hours yet."

"No."

"Rose, this is dangerous."

"It's always dangerous!"

"You could get killed."

"First time I met you, you blew up my job. The next day I helped you beat the Nestene Consciousness and saved your sorry bum. And when you wanted me to come with you, I asked you if it was always that dangerous and you said yes. So why should that stop me _now_? I've been chased by a werewolf, tortured by The Editor, kidnapped by Clockwork droids, faced armies of Daleks and Cybermen-and that's just what I did with you! You don't even know what I did in Pete's World."

"Rose-"

"Doctor. I killed _Satan_, remember?" She put her hands on her hips. "I am _not_ leaving you."

The Doctor sighed heavily. "Fine. But you do as I tell you." Rose gave him a mischievous grin and he shook his head. "Why do I even bother?"

"Aw, c'mon, you know I always do when it matters."

"Are you three gonna stand there and gossip all day?" shouted Coco, who was already halfway to the cave located behind the campfire. 

* * *

Coco was not sure about this. She glanced at the strangers, letting out a loud snort. A pinstriped, skinny guy and two city girls who'd probably never even seen a forest before. She and the other survivors were desperate, though, and at least that Doctor type had named the creatures so maybe he knew of a weakness of theirs.

It had started the third night when one of the children had been taken from his bed. Not that anyone had noticed until morning. At first people had assumed that the child had just wandered off but, according to the father, the boy had gotten his ankle sprained the day prior and wasn't likely to wander anywhere. They had searched the jungle without finding a trace of the boy and suspicion that someone had snatched him arose in the camp. Therefore, they started having night shifts and the adults took turns guarding the campsite. Unfortunately, that didn't stop Them.

On the fifth night Trey had never been woken up by Lily for his shift. They found her mutilated body a few yards from the campsite and two more children were missing. After the crash they hadn't really felt the need to have a leader but, as they stood in a prayer circle around Lily's body, Trey suggested it was time and Coco had been chosen. None of the survivors had any real experience but Coco was one of those people others instinctively turned to. She had a commanding voice, a strong presence, always listened and she was fair without ever taking any bullshit. She also knew how to make tough decisions, something that had proven useful.

They had tried moving the campsite but it didn't help; the creatures seemed to know exactly where they were at all times. Coco had put more guards on the night shift, asked around until she found someone with some knowledge of self-defence and told him to teach others. Ben, as his name was, held classes every morning and most of the group made sure to join at least twice a week. They had gone through all the luggage from the crash site and found machetes, knives and a slingshot but unfortunately weapons didn't much help. The creatures were stronger, faster, had more acute senses and could kill with their bare hands in a matter of seconds.

One woman had suggested that they just let Them have the children. Why sacrifice adults as well as the kids, she'd reckoned. She'd not been very popular after that. She was gone now, anyway, buried next to the others...

"Why do they want the children, you think?" asked Coco. This had been discussed at great length late at night. No one really wanted to speculate on this terrifying subject, but they just couldn't help themselves. Most people believed They needed them for food or as slaves.

The Doctor looked at her, Trey and Ben, who'd joined her in her makeshift office in the back of the currently empty cave. The people who'd been in there as they entered had left without a word.

"Are any of you parents to the abducted children?" the Doctor asked and they shook their heads. "Good. The Mucambars need to use hosts to carry their young to term. They insert-"

Coco held up a hand. "We don't need to be that specific, do we?"

"Suppose not. Prime age for this specific purpose is between fifteen and twenty five. But the Mucambars need to prep the bodies beforehand, so that they can sustain the fetus they carry. It takes several years, so it's probable that all of the children are alive and well looked after. I should be able to reverse the effects of the hormones they've been injected with, if I can get the children to my infirmary."

Martha muffled an 'oh, god' behind her hand before saying: "Doctor, we have to help them."

"That's the plan."

"What _is_ the plan?" asked Coco, not willing to celebrate just yet.

"Ah. Well. Haven't worked that out," said the Doctor, rubbing his chin. "The Mucambars were thought to be a legend. Your average child-snatching monster, used to make kids eat their brussel sprouts and do their homework. The weird thing, though... Why haven't they just killed all of you and taken the children in one go? The Mucambars live in packs of twenty-well, roughly, and not including their young-and should easily be able to take on a camp like this. Their numbers must've dwindled, somehow, which makes them vulnerable..."

"And more dangerous. If they're desperate to reproduce..." Coco trailed off, giving him a concerned look.

"True. But a handful of Mucambars - _that_, we should be able to deal with if... Hm... You've found their lair, you said?"

"Yes. We went to search for the children, and found their cave two hours away. It's impossible to enter. Well, at least when you're a group of frightened city folk, who've just learned how to survive in the jungle. We only have the weapons found in the cargo, we live off of fruits, berries, roots and the little game we've managed to hunt. Our people are scared, tired and hungry."

"What if we sedate them? You must have something on the TARDIS that would do?" suggested Martha.

"We won't be able to make it to the TARDIS and back, and then to the lair before nightfall. And we do _not_ want to fight them in the dark. We need to draw them out of their cave, I would think. Into the light. They have sensitive eyes, but their other senses are still keen enough for them to be dangerous."

"Aren't there any poisonous berries, then?" asked Rose. "Or some frog or root or something. Like, we could make arrows and shoot them through one of those," she held up her index finger and thumb in front of her mouth and pretended to blow a dart, "you know. Tube things."

The Doctor spun around, clutching his hair in excitement and speaking quickly: "Oh, Rose! You're brilliant, you are. There's a plant called bloodweed in this jungle. Completely harmless as long as it doesn't enter the bloodstream, but when it does..." He nodded knowingly. "We'd have to be careful, for it could kill a human of average height and built. But the Mucambazs are a sturdy race. They'll get sluggish and then pass out but only for... Hm, approximately half an hour, I gather. After waking up, they will be weakened and disoriented, but not harmless. So we have to be swift." He turned to Coco. "I will locate and pick the bloodweed, and make the poison. I should have all the instruments I need in my pockets."

"Really?" she said, looking skeptically at him. His pockets didn't seem to contain anything.

"Really." Pulling out a pen and some paper from one of said pockets, he drew a very accurate picture of a Mucambar and showed it to the others. "Look here. This tailspike contains toxic hormones. Don't let them inject you with it. It will make you docile until your body breaks it down, which takes, I'd say, a couple of hours. Weeell, maybe three. Four at the most. Unless you're really petite, then probably five. It's what they use on the children, so we'll need to carry them back to the camp. Anyway, the Mucambars' bodies need time to refill the spike, but that doesn't mean they won't use it to wound you in between injections. It won't give you any hormones but it will still hurt. A lot. So, be mindful of the spike. Claws and fangs are what you'd expect. And here," he drew two circles on the abdomen, one on the forehead and one on each shoulder, "you have the weak spots. Each contains a cluster of nerves. Hit it and you'll incapacitate them for a couple of minutes. They will be dizzy and lose control over their bodies."

The Doctor pressed the paper into Coco's hand. "Round up at least fifteen volunteers, who will come with us to the lair. Show them what I just told you. The rest need to pack up the camp, so we can leave immediately, once we return with the children. Martha and Rose will make the darts. I'll show you how."

He kept giving instructions, told them to meet up by the campfire in an hour and Coco actually allowed herself to feel some well needed hope. 

* * *

Everything was ready. The Doctor had decided that only he and the larger people of the group were allowed to shot the blow-darts and the others armed themselves with whatever they could find. Grabbing one of the machetes Coco handed out, Rose shifted it between her hands and took a few swipes in the air to feel its weight. She could feel the Doctor's eyes boring into her and, without looking at him, she let out a tired 'what?'

"You know what."

She tilted her chin up. "I'm coming."

Walking up to her, he took her free hand. "Rose. Please stay at the camp."

"I want to help."

He leaned in closer, stroking her arm. "I know you do, but I don't want you to get hurt, alright? You can help packing up the camp."

"You're letting Martha come."

His tone got matter-of-factly and his features firm. "You've lost at least one stone, most likely more, since Canary Wharf-and you weren't exactly large to begin with-you've gone through some emotional trauma, to say the least, and you've been separated from all the people you love. I'm guessing you've not slept well in over a year at that. Need I go on?"

"So? You've dragged me into all kinds of dangerous situations before, without me having eaten or slept properly."

"You could endanger the others, Rose. Stop being selfish."

"Git," she said through gritted teeth, looking away.

"If calling me names makes you feel better, be my guest, but I won't change my mind."

"I worked for Torchwood, you know. And I was good at it."

"Very well. Right now, _I'm_ your superior, Agent Tyler. You are staying here, and that's an order."

Straightening herself up, she squared her shoulders and looked at him coldly. "Yes, sir."

Rose walked over to the campfire with her head held high and settled down with the rest of the group, watching the volunteers get ready. If he really was so stupid that he thought she'd stay in the camp just because he tried to pull nonexistent rank then so be it. As soon as they went on their way, she would follow them.

* * *

Rose waited thirty minutes before following the group deeper into the jungle. She had her machete firmly in her hand and had borrowed a leather jacket from one of the survivors. It was hot as hell but would offer at least some protection from claws and fangs. She had been a little worried that she wouldn't be able to track them but, as she trekked through the forest, she found it wasn't hard at all. It was as though her instincts were on fire, helping her when her tracking knowledge faltered.

Snatching more strawberry guavas, she snacked on them as she walked, since she had always been better at concentrating whilst eating or fidgeting with something. Shareen used to be so annoyed with her when they studied because Rose always insisted on snacking on a bag of crisps to prevent herself from drifting away, deep in thoughts. Shareen, on the other hand, needed silence. Rose felt a pang of grief, thinking about her, but quickly shrugged it off to better focus on her task.

Walking alone in the jungle for two hours wasn't the most hilarious thing she could think of but, to her surprise, she found she really didn't mind. She had been starting to feel increasingly at ease, regardless of her situation, ever since returning to the Doctor. It was as though a hollowness inside of her had been filled. During the first few months in Pete's World, she had trouble sleeping and eating; her stomach as well as her head had ached. Her mum had talked about withdrawal symptoms but it wasn't like Rose was _addicted_ to the Doctor. She'd just felt so empty and alone, no matter how many people she'd surrounded herself with, but gradually it had gotten better and working for Torchwood had helped a lot. Well, until it was clear that she was making people sick.

Rose was a sociable creature and not being able to hang out with friends and family had almost destroyed her. However, when she came back to this universe, after spending months alone in the woods, she'd not had the energy to be around a lot of people at once. It was just too much and she couldn't shut it out. So, she had slowly subjected herself to more and more people and started by sitting down on a park bench. When that felt all right, she moved to taking the bus somewhere, tried some shopping for groceries and finally going to a club. However, even as it became easier for her, it still felt emotionally draining and she couldn't understand why. Therefore, she had been a little bit worried staying at the camp with all those strangers but, as it turned out, she hadn't minded at all. Sitting by the campfire with Martha and the kids, making darts and tubes, had been rather nice. The only exhausting thing she could think of right now was the drama with the Doctor-or whatever one should call it. The not knowing what they were and had been or what they would become.

A shriek brought her out of her musings and, rushing forward, she could see the group up ahead. She wasn't sure how they had managed to find and attack the lair so quickly but she reckoned that the tracking had slowed her down. She could see several Muc-whatever-they-were-called on the ground: they were large, pale blue and muscular with thick, white body hair placed mostly the same way as on an average human male. The tail was thin and long but ended in a round tip from which a spike protruded. The group of humans stood with their arms up in the air, focusing on a very large Muc-whatever, which held a docile Coco in its arms.

Sneaking closer, Rose wondered why they hadn't shot the creature but, as she came nearer, she saw several darts lodged into its skin. She also noticed that it was larger than the ones on the ground and assumed it being an alpha male or female. Maybe it wasn't as susceptible to poisons? It was clear to her that, whilst the Doctor wouldn't be able to talk his way out of this hostage situation, Rose could provide them with the element of surprise. As long as the creature was focused on the others, she could sneak up behind it and attack and since the darts only worked for half an hour, she really didn't have any time to lose. Tightening her grip on the machete, Rose moved forward.


	7. The Alpha

**Warning**: some violence and, like, one f word.

* * *

Rose wasn't surprised to see the Doctor noticing her; he had probably done so long before she'd been in his peripheral vision. His features were hard, his jaw tight and she knew he followed her with all of his senses, even though his dark eyes were locked on the alpha. Crawling behind some bushes, Rose took in the area around her. Ben was lying motionless a few paces from her and the alpha; Martha had blood stains all over but didn't look injured; some of the others had gashes and she thought she could see a pair of human limbs under one of the creatures.

Just as she positioned herself behind the alpha, something flashed in the Doctor's eyes and Rose halted, sensing his warning. Afterwards she would be told that it all took place in a matter of seconds but to her it was as though everything moved in slow motion. The alpha pointed its ears, turning backwards to the left in Rose's direction. Its tail was swinging threateningly back and forth and the narrow spike glistened with someone's blood. It was almost hypnotising and she couldn't help but wonder if it was her turn to know what it felt like to be pierced by it.

One of the creatures to her left stirred slightly and, if one was waking up, it meant the others were soon to follow. If the group acted, Coco would die and the alpha would do its best to wreak havoc, killing who knows how many more. Rose knew she had to incapacitate it so the group could give the other creatures another round of the blow-darts.

It amazed Rose how, after such a long time apart, she and the Doctor could still read each other so well. He was as aware, well probably more so, of the circumstances as Rose and they used their eyes and body language to keep communicating. His eyes flitted quickly to Ben and she followed with her own, noticing a tube with some darts secured to it. It must have rolled out of Ben's hand and she wouldn't have to move far to grab it. The darts were thin but rather long and tied to the tube in a way that made them easily removed by nimble fingers.

Crouching down, she nodded to the Doctor who instantly started jabbering loudly about anything that popped up in his head. The alpha startled and, as it turned its attention back to the group, Rose immediately reacted. Rolling to the side, she grabbed the tube and leapt up behind the creature. Hitting the butt of the machete in one of the shoulder spots, she hoped to incapacitate it so she could slice open a wound and jab the darts into it and thus make sure the poison entered its bloodstream. However, the creature dropped its hold on Coco and turned around, cradling its arm and not looking disoriented in the least.

Oh, fuck.

As Rose stared straight into the beast's yellow eyes her instincts told her that it was a female. A female alpha, to be exact, protecting her clan and sizing up the enemy. The female snarled and, aiming at Rose's face, lifted its tail and struck down hard. Lifting one arm up to shield herself, Rose reflexively moved her other to chop off the tail but she was too slow. Rose shrieked as the spike bored into the flesh of her arm and, at the same time, the machete sliced through the tail, severing the tip from the alpha's body. Dark blue blood gushed out of the wound, soaking the ground as well as Rose's trainers. The alpha female let out a terrifying, growling shout and grabbed Rose by the throat, violently thrashing her tail around them.

A part of her was aware that someone had rushed forward and she was fairly certain of the fact that that someone had cried out her name in horror. However, right now her focus was on the alpha female, whose pale, blue fingers gripped around Rose's throat, lifting her off the ground. Her left arm was already feeling numb and she had dropped the tube, but she had one good arm left and the hand of that arm was wielding a machete. Swinging the blade, Rose made a deep cut in the alphas shoulder and felt the creature release its grip. She landed on the ground, reached for the tube and, Ignoring her shaky limbs, withdrew three darts with a speed that surprised her. Thanking deities she didn't believe in for her gymnastics lessons, she leapt up high as hell and rammed the darts into the cut.

Rose's knees wobbled and the thundering sound of her own racing blood and heart drowned out the alpha's roar. She had barely hit the ground before the Doctor held her in his arms. Leaning against his chest, Rose saw Martha urging the others into the cave to retrieve the children and Trey shooting more darts into the already rousing creatures on the ground. It was clear to her that, had she been there just a few minutes later, everything would've gone to hell and with that knowledge, she passed out. 

* * *

Rose was in motion; her head bounced lightly against something bony but comfortable. Opening one eye a little, she tried to focus on her surroundings only to see a blurry jungle passing by. A familiar and pleasant scent filled her nose; it reminded her of home and buttered toast with tea. Her arm throbbed, it was hard to breathe and her mind felt really foggy. Humming contentedly, she nuzzled her nose closer to the warmth against her face and fell back into the darkness.

* * *

The Doctor had been carrying Rose for two hours straight, refusing any help offered to him and, as they reached the camp, he just kept moving in the direction of the TARDIS. Handing over the child she'd been carrying to Trey, Martha ran after the Time Lord.

"Doctor!"

"I have to keep going, Martha."

"But-"

"You saw what happened to Ben. You take care of this lot," he shouted over his shoulder without stopping.

Martha rushed back and helped the survivors place the children on the makeshift stretchers the others survivors had made out of tarp, blankets and poles. They needed to get back to the TARDIS as quickly as possible, since it was already dark out and they would be completely helpless if the Mucambars caught up with them.

Martha paired up the rest of the group to carry the stretchers, making sure the already tired volunteers got a chance to rest, and took the lead to guide them to the TARDIS. A woman she knew as Sally walked up next to her, empty handed.

"Why didn't you kill Them?" she demanded to know.

"There was no time. As soon as we got the upper hand we had to run into the cave. We didn't even know if there were more in there. Luckily there weren't. And as soon as we got out with the children, the only thing on our mind was to get out."

"I still think you should've killed them."

Martha sighed "Maybe we should have."

None of them had actually thought of that since everyone had been focused on the children. Well, everyone except the Doctor, who'd been focused on Rose. Besides, all of them had just wanted to get the hell out of there as quickly as possible. Martha wasn't sure if anyone in the group could've been able to kill them, to be honest. Self-defense was one thing, but murdering drugged up, defenseless creatures was another-even if the creatures were Mucambars.

"I heard you left Ben and Charlie," Sally said.

Martha never saw what happened to Ben but Charlie had been shredded right in front of her. There were blood stains all over her clothes and she felt like taking off her shirt and rubbing it in the woman's face. Leaving the bodies of the two dead volunteers behind had been done out of necessity. They didn't have enough people to carry them; ten children and two passed out adults were enough as it was.

"You know what?" snapped Martha, who was goddamn exhausted at this point. "Maybe next time _you_ can volunteer to walk into a lair full of monsters, instead of staying behind and complaining, yeah? And would it kill you to help carrying something? You could at least grab a torch."

"Sorry," mumbled Sally, sliding back into the line.

Remembering her first encounter with the TARDIS and how she had reacted, Martha told Trey which way to go so she could walk through the groups of people and tell them about the box that was bigger on the inside. They couldn't afford people halting disbelievingly outside the TARDIS or having someone run out again. Not that anyone really believed her, but at least they had all promised to just trust her and march their tired behinds into the blue wooden box they would reach in an hour's time.

Martha reckoned there were roughly twenty minutes left when the snarls of the Mucambars echoed through the forest, really motivating them to pick up their pace. Trey walked behind the group, armed with the blow-darts and ready to defend them, but Martha didn't know if that would be enough. However, five minutes later, the Doctor came running with a handful of really powerful lanterns and handed them out to anyone able to carry something.

"These should blind the Mucambars...and light up the path much more efficiently than those torches, of course. Hopefully it won't come to that. Blinding the Mucambars, I mean. If we keep this pace we should reach the TARDIS at least five minutes before they do. Probably, er, maybe, I hope."

His words were really rushed and he was already on his way back to the TARDIS before he had finished his last sentence. Martha didn't allow herself to think about Rose. She knew the Doctor was taking care of her friend and Martha had to focus on the group. She made sure everybody was ready, reminding them of the blue box and how it was bigger on the inside. The sounds were getting closer; snarls, growls, twigs cracking and thumps on the ground as large feet rushed forward. The usually silent Mucambars were undoubtedly trying to frighten them, since the humans at least had strength in numbers and were armed. It was working. The children who were still awake were crying and Martha could hear a few of the adults sniffling as well.

Martha ran ahead as soon as she saw the TARDIS so she could unlock the doors and hold them open to usher in the survivors.

"Go, go, go!"

One by one, they all got into safety and the second she closed the door, she heard a loud thud against the it. The group of survivors were too focused on the sounds of the Mucambars trying to break through the doors to take in their surroundings. They all stared helplessly at Martha with eyes wide of terror.

The Doctor suddenly appeared by the console. "No worries. Nothing comes through those doors without my permission. Weeeell, maybe one pesky human or two, intent on travelling with me. But no monsters. Port Fourteen, then? That was it, right, Trey?" Trey nodded, mouth hanging open. "We'll land in a couple of minutes. Martha! We need to give the children and Coco these shots and then they can be on their merry way."

Upon being addressed by the Doctor, Martha realised she had slid down to the floor with her back protectively against the door.

She managed to pull herself up. "Oh. Yeah. Sure." 

* * *

God, Rose was parched. Oh, and _hungry_. When did she last eat anyway? She sat up in the bed and swung her legs over the edge, rubbing her eyes with her right hand. Blinking to clear her eyes from slumber, she looked around the room. Ah, infirmary. Oh, right. Someone had gotten a little stabby with their spike. That wasn't supposed to harm her _this_ much, though, so what had happened?

It took quite some effort but she eventually managed to hold up her left arm in front of her. It felt so heavy and strange but at least the wound had been cleaned and bandaged. Feeling a little drugged up, she kissed the spot to make it all better and slid down on the floor. Someone had removed her shoes but she was still dressed in jeans and a top.

"Thirsty," she grunted to no one in particular.

Padding to the sink, she filled a mug with water and downed it in four greedy gulps. After refilling it, she turned around to walk back to the bed. Oh! Her stomach fluttered a little at the gorgeous sight before her. The Doctor was asleep in an armchair on the other side of the bed. His glasses hung crookedly on the bridge of his nose: his hair a right mess; and he was in his shirtsleeves, which were rolled up to the elbows and had a few buttons popped open in the front. Mm, she loved that.

"Poor little puppy," she cooed as she walked up to him. She put down the mug on a cart by the bed, removed his glasses and cupped his cheek with her good hand. "How long have you been sitting here, my Doctor?"

His eyes fluttered open. "Rose?"

She giggled. "Present!"

Flying up on his feet, the Doctor hugged her tightly and burrowed his face into the crook of her neck. "Oh, god, it worked! I didn't know. It was all my fault that you almost... Ben died two minutes before you showed up. That's how fast the venom... I didn't even know if the universal antidote would work." He pressed her closer. "And I didn't know how long I had. It could be minutes for all I knew and the TARDIS was hours away and I walked as fast as I could and you were starting to..." He swallowed audibly. "I could feel your heart slowing down, Rose, and your breaths grew shallow and I didn't know... I had no idea if the antidote would even work. When I got here, you were so pale and sweaty and your arm... And I almost dropped it when I was about to, but I didn't, and I didn't even know if it would work. But I gave it and then there was nothing else I could do but wait. I didn't know if-" He shuddered, squeezing her tighter. "I'm _so_ angry with you."

"No, you're not." She laughed as they rocked back and forth. "I feel a bit funny."

"That would be the drugs."

"Duh!" She made a face, forgetting he couldn't really see her. "Doctor, not that I mind hugging you, really, really not, but I'd like to be able to breathe. And also, wink my daughter."

"Sorry." He pulled back a little, looking embarrassed. "Wait, _what_?"

She pointed at the mug. "Thirsty."

"Ah, drink your water."

"Yeeeeah." She tilted her head to the side and beamed at him, tongue sticking out between her teeth.

"Stop being all..." He mock-scolded, gesturing around her. "You're making it very hard for me to be angry with you."

"But you're not." Shaking her head, she sat down on the bed again to drink her water.

"You should've stayed in the camp." He sat down beside her, thigh against thigh, and she couldn't help but wonder how it would feel without all of those layers of cotton between them.

"That's not how it works, silly." She patted him fondly on the knee, might've given him a little squeeze too. "There was a mess, I saved the day and you saved me. Next time there's a mess, you'll save the day and I'll save _you_. S'why we're such a great team! Can't do that if I stay in the bloody camp."

"We shouldn't be having this conversation right now. You, Rose Tyler, are not in your right mind." Wrapping his fingers around her hand, he lifted it from his leg. Oh, had she left it there? Oops. At least he kept holding her hand. Mmm...

"Have I ever been? I ran away with an alien old enough to be my...dinosaur."

"Oi! I'm not _that_ old." He pouted adorably. Oh, the things she would like to do to that bottom lip...

"When you smile at me, you get a lot of wrinkles right here." She ran her finger over the skin around his eyes. "Old dinosaurs have wrinkles." She cupped his cheek again, smiling tenderly. "When you smile at me, I-" Even in her foggy state, she could see his eyes flashing with a warning and she swallowed the affectionate words she was about to say. "I'm hungry."

"I'll get right on that," he said, already by the door.

"And I want jimjams," she called after the coward.

Ten minutes later, he was back with sandwiches and tea on a tray and her jimjams under his arm. He put the tray on the cart and adjusted her bed so she could sit up comfortably. He checked a few things on a monitor next to the wall by the sink whilst she ate and examined her left hand and ran the sonic screwdriver over her eyes.

She moved his hand away. "That is not annoying. At all."

"I'm just checking a few things. All done?"

"Yeah, thanks." She patted her now full belly. He adjusted her bed again by pushing some buttons on a remote so she could lie down. "You want me to sleep," she stated, still sitting up.

"That would be good, yes."

"I need the loo, first." Grabbing the jimjams, she headed towards the bathroom. He was by her side in an instant, supporting her. "I can walk on my own, Doctor."

"Right, of course." He tugged his ear. "And, will you manage in there? You know, with everything, and jimjams, and, er... Would you like assistance?"

"Doctor, are you trying to tell me you wanna see me naked?" she teased, grinning at him.

"What?" he squeaked, looking horrified. "No! I would have my eyes closed, of course. Or, wait, would that be weird? Oh! I could wake Martha up, you know, and she could..." His eyes flitted around Rose's body, making her giggle.

"I'll be fine," she assured him and went inside. Her left arm might be useless and she still felt the effect of the pain meds, but the Doctor had chosen plaid pajama bottoms and a vest, so there were no buttons to fumble with. Yes, she would be fine. She had after all managed to use the loo and change her clothes drunk as a skunk quite a few times in her life.

He was still waiting by the door when she got out again and he offered her his arms immediately. Chuckling, she shook her head and told him he was sweet as she walked back to the bed and jumped into it. "You'll explain what happened to me tomorrow, yeah? And-and you'll stay?"

"Yes, and of course." He sat down beside her. "But I won't be as nice tomorrow, you know."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I'm so scared." Knitting her brows in concern, she added: "Don't sleep in the chair, though, Doctor. You'll hurt your neck."

"I shouldn't be sleeping at all. I should be working. Just couldn't focus." He rubbed his face with his hands.

"Were you _that_ worried about me?"

"Oh, Rose…" He leaned closer. "I'm always worried about you and you always insist on being so very jeopardy friendly. You'll be the death of me, you will."

"Again!" she chirped, kicking herself mentally as he pulled back a little and shook his head at her. Maybe she shouldn't be joking about that? Stupid, drugged up Rose. Oh, wait, he was smiling! Phew.

"Had a good reason last time. You," he pointed at her, "were dying."

"And you saved me. See! There was a mess, I saved the day and you saved me. Just like I said: we're a good team." She frowned, trying to remember his rushed and confusing confession. "I almost died today, too, didn't I?"

"Yes."

"But I'll be alright, yeah?"

Smiling at her, he nodded and she poked one of his dimples. "Good. Can't leave you all on your own, can I?"

Grabbing her finger, he pulled it away from his cheek but their hands reflexively entwined and rested between them on the bed. "Well, I've got Martha," he teased her.

"She's good. But she won't promise you forever."

"You lot are not supposed to be promising me forever. A few trips, a few years, and then back to living your own life, day after day. That's how it's supposed to be."

Grinning, she tilted her chin up. "I don't like doing things just because I'm supposed to."

"Oh, I've noticed." He chuckled, eyes sparkling so proudly at her, making her more dizzy.

"And that is why you like me so much."

"Thought we had established it's because you absolutely _adore_ listening to me talk for hours. But, who can blame you. I _am_ rather brilliant," he said cockily. "Oh, and the domestic approach. Like that, too."

She snorted. "I indulge you way too much, don't I?"

"I assure you, Rose Tyler, it's the other way around." He kissed her forehead and jumped off the bed. "Go to sleep. I'll be right there." He pointed at the workstation on the other side of the room, made his way over there and started hammering away on the keyboard.

Rolling over on her good side, Rose pulled the covers up to her chin and watched the Doctor work. It didn't take long at all for her to fall back asleep.


	8. Recovery

The next time Rose woke up, she found herself alone. Yawning, she padded to the bathroom to take care of some seriously pressing business. She also brushed her teeth and splashed some water on her face. Feeling her tummy growling loudly, she decided to go to the galley; however, as she heard voices coming from the console room she changed her mind.

"Where does this go?" said Martha.

The Doctor sighed. "Oh, c'mere. I'll fix it for you."

"Ugh, don't have to be so rough. Are you sure this will protect us?"

"Yep."

"Shouldn't we wake up Rose first?"

"No need. She's on her way."

"Oh, right. Forgot you're creepy like that."

"Sentient timeship plus superior Time Lord senses does not equal creepiness, Martha."

"It equals brilliance," said Rose in a posh tone as she entered the console room.

"Right-o!"

Martha and the Doctor looked like they were about to play ice hockey; they wore helmets and some rather impressive protective gear, but had boots on instead of skates.

"Do I even wanna know what you are doing?"

"We're saving the Mucambars from getting terminated by the government. The Doctor has found a way to make the alphas carry their children to term, so that they won't use hosts anymore."

"Yep. Just gonna need a little jiggery-pokery."

Rose smirled. "You're gonna make Mucambar babies with a little jiggery-pokery?"

"Suppose you could put it like that," answered the oblivious Time Lord.

Sniggering, she waited for the others to catch on but they just looked at her, so she sighed. "Oh, times like these I really miss Jack."

"Ah. Always about sex with you humans." The Doctor shook his head. "No, there will be no indecent behaviour. This is purely scientific. See, the Mucambars aren't supposed to have alphas. I was caught completely by surprise. She was bigger, her hide thicker, the nerve clusters not as sensitive, and then the venom..." He cleared his throat. "She didn't have hormones in her spike; she had a very potent venom. When you were sick, I did my research, even went to Port Fourteen to talk to the government. It was the terraforming... Something went wrong, and it was all very hush-hush. The people in the cities don't even know the Mucambars exist! But I managed to talk my way into their records, you know me and my gob-"

Martha coughed. "Psychic paper!"

"Yes, yes, that too. Anyway, they let me see the research, and I just had to tweak a few things. Took me no more than six hours to perfect the solution, and then we got help to administer it. Weeell, I say help, but it is more like a lift. No one wants to go near them. But they've lent us a hovercraft, and Coco is kind enough to be our pilot. We've located all the lairs and now we're heading out. And you, Rose Tyler, are staying at home. No sneaking about or following us or doing something stupid. Go on, back to the infirmary and rest, now. We'll be back in a jiffy, you'll see."

"But-"

"No! You. Stay. Here." He gave her a stern look but then it softened and he walked up to her, putting his hand on her upper arm. "Rose, we'll be perfectly safe. We have proper tranq guns, their claws, fangs and spikes won't penetrate our protective gear and we'll be gone for half a day, tops. We are prepared, this time. Please stay in the TARDIS."

"Okay. I will."

"Promise?" He pouted a little, giving her his best impression of a very cute puppy.

"Promise."

"I'll see you later," he said, in that tone that was just for her.

"Not if I see you first." Smiling, she bit her lip and it felt like time stopped. There was no doubt in her mind that they were both thinking about Krop Tor, when she had kissed him goodbye on his helmet. He was right there, so close, and she could reach out and pull him towards her and… Oh, it looked like he would be fine with it as well-all smiles and twinkling eyes, warm and welcoming. She just needed to muster up some courage. She egged herself on mentally, subconsciously licking her lips, but then Martha cleared her throat and the spell was broken.

Looking a bit confused, the Doctor broke their gaze. "Hm?"

"Jiggery-pokery, alphas, Coco waiting outside, remember?"

"Ah, yes, of course! Allons-y!"

It took Rose over five minutes to move from the spot after the Doctor and Martha had left. 

* * *

Still feeling hungry, Rose got to the galley to find something to eat. The pantries and cupboards were, unlike when Rose had travelled with the Doctor, all well stocked so she supposed it was Martha's doing. Neither Rose nor the Doctor were very good at domestics. She made a few sandwiches and brought them to her room. She still hadn't really unpacked and her wardrobe was in desperate need of being sorted.

Six hours and a little kip later, she was done with her project. Done, very bored and a little bit worried; so, she decided to wait in the console room. Bringing a magazine with her, she parked her behind on the jump-seat but she couldn't focus on what she was reading. After trying to finish the same article for the fifth time, she threw the magazine aside.

"I'm so happy to be back," she said to the TARDIS. "It's only been a few days, and already it feels surreal that I was ever away. I missed you a lot, you know. My head felt so empty without your singing."

The TARDIS gently nudged her behind her forehead and changed her humming to a slightly lighter pitch, making Rose feel as though it the feeling was mutual.

She'd always been in awe of the ship and felt like they understood each other, at least to some degree; however, it wasn't until they looked into each other's hearts that Rose began feeling the time ship reaching out on occasion. Trapped in Pete's World, she used to wonder why she never asked the Doctor to help her explore that connection. What if she could learn how to talk to the TARDIS in the same way that he could?

"Would you like that, girl?" she asked, getting a happy hum as a reply. "S'what I thought. Can't be fun only having that stuffy, old git to talk to, am I right?" She chuckled as the TARDIS happily flickered the lights.

The doors opened and Martha and the Doctor tumbled inside, laughing like crazy. They were muddy and the Doctor's protective gear looked a bit scuffed up but on a whole they seemed just fine.

"What's so funny?" Rose asked, eager to join in on the fun and trying her best to suppress that tiny spark of jealousy she felt over not being the one falling through the doors with the Doctor.

"Oh, nothing much. One of the alphas might've had a bit of a crush on the Doctor."

"Hold on, _what_?"

"Not a crush. I had located six lairs in this area and at the first five everything went according to plan. During our final jiggery-pokery, however, the alpha seemed to be a tad smitten. Weeell, who wouldn't be." He bounced a little on the balls of his feet. "I _am_ a prime example of a humanoid male, if I do say so myself."

"You do say so. And rather often, actually," chirped Martha and Rose sniggered.

Ignoring them, the Doctor continued: "She wanted to mate, it seemed, but I got out of there before she got me out of these." Tugging at the fastenings of his protective gear, he started removing them until he was clad in nothing but a pinstriped union suit.

Rose was about to say something about him attempting some indecent jiggery-pokery after all but, as soon as she saw the Doctor's outfit, her jaw dropped and the words were forgotten. "Oh. My. God. Turn around!"

"Why?" he asked, but complied. Holding out his arms, he twirled and looked at his body. He reminded her of a dog chasing its tail.

Rose slapped her knees, laughing. "You've got a buttflap!"

He sniffed. "It's called button flap, actually, and it's very common on a union suit."

"You're wearing a man-sized one-piece with a _buttflap_." She roared with laughter. "No wonder the alpha couldn't keep her paws off you."

"She couldn't actually see the- Oh, come off it!" He pouted. "Couldn't wear my regular suit under all of this, could I? Look," he pointed at Martha, who was wearing something similar. "She's wearing one, as well!"

Rose brushed a few tears off her cheeks, clutching at her stomach. "Matching buttflap outfits! HAHAHA!" She collapsed on the jumpseat. "Thanks, I needed that."

"Glad to be of service," the Doctor muttered. "I'm getting changed. See you in the infirmary in ten. Check up, and I'm having words with you." He pointed at Rose, frowning.

Puffing up her cheeks, Rose blew out some air and shared a look with Martha.

"Do you want moral support?" asked Martha.

"Nah, I'm good. Thanks, though."

"All right. I'm off for a shower. Good luck." 

* * *

Sitting primly on the bed in the infirmary with her hands clasped on her lap, Rose was ready to be scolded-and then kindly make the silly alien see that he was wrong.

"So," he said, walking in and pulling a stethoscope out of a drawer. "How are we feeling?"

"We are feeling just fine. Arm's a little... Hm, dunno how to explain it. Feels a bit weird, yeah, but doesn't hurt."

"And your fingers?" He held out his hand. "May I?" She nodded so he started examining her digits, asking her to grip, flex and wiggle. "A bit stiff, hm?"

"Yeah, a little."

"I see. I am going to listen to your heart and your lungs, is that alright?" he said, hand hovering at the hem of her vest.

"Uhm, yeah." She lifted her vest a little so he could slide his hands under it.

He halted. "Would you rather Martha did it?"

"Uhm, no, I'm fine... S'not like you haven't done this before, like, a million times."

"That's quite an exaggeration, Rose. More like seventy two," he said and hushed her when she laughed at him. "Take a deep breath, please."

She followed his instructions as he moved the stethoscope around her chest and back; used the sonic screwdriver to scan her eyes; redressed her wound; and ran his fingers over her neck, her armpits and her stomach to check her lymph nodes.

He was, and always had been, completely professional during physical exams, which made her feel somewhat perverted for enjoying the feel of his cool fingers on her skin. He was always so gentle and caring, now as well as when he was gruff and Northern. Sometimes she used it to fuel her fantasies, letting the exam become even more physical in her mind.

Not that she should not be thinking about that right now, though. Trying to fill her thoughts with something very, very unsexy, she pictured Mickey's dirty socks, mushy Daleks and Adam fainting when he saw space on Satellite 5. Ooh, no that was not a good thought, it only made her remember the Doctor grabbing her hand and possessively pulling her towards him in a lift on Satellite 5. Mmm, sometimes she fantasised about him pushing her up against the wall of that lift and-

"Are you alright, Rose? You look a little flushed."

"Peachy," she squeaked, trying her best to ignore how amazing he looked with his stupid, sexy specs perched on the bridge of his nose and the stethoscope slung over his neck. Ugh, four years without sex was really starting to get to her.

"The alpha's venom is very potent, and I expect you'll be feeling tired for a few more days. You were lucky. She'd just stabbed Ben and her body had yet to replenish the venom. Had it happened just fifteen minutes later, you'd..." He leaned back against the counter with his hands in his pockets, looking at his feet.

"So, basically, I lived because Ben died," she said, voice hollow.

"Suppose you could view it that way, but... Rose, don't do that to yourself."

"And Coco? Charlie?"

"Charlie was attacked and Coco got injected with hormones and should be fine. After this, we're going to Port Fourteen again. I need to give her, the children and the monkeys another round of shots."

"The monkeys?"

"Oh, right, didn't say. Humans never venture this deeply into the jungle, so the Mucambars usually use monkeys as hosts and that's what we found in the other lairs. We had to call the Port Fourteen Wildlife Protection Agency, and they've taken them all in. Just doing a check up."

"Can I come?"

"No. Your recovery is remarkable, but you're not well yet and you don't have full use of your hand. After Port Fourteen we're staying in the vortex for a few days. If we get a distress call, you'll stay in. No, don't roll your eyes at me," he said, as she attempted to do just that. "I'm speaking as your doctor right now, not your friend the Doctor. Rose, you've been through a lot and I'm not just talking about what happened the other day-"

"What do you mean 'the other day'?" she interrupted. "I thought this happened yesterday."

"No, you were fighting this for over two days."

She paled a little. "Oh."

"I had planned on staying in the vortex, letting you get reacquainted with the TARDIS and all that, when we got this distress call. I wasn't coddling you when I asked you to stay behind in that camp. It's been two tough years for you and I don't want you to get overwhelmed. And now, after all of this, I'm even more determined."

"Oh, okay," she said, feeling a bit defeated. It was starting to sink in just how close it had been for her.

"And when you feel ready, I'd like you to tell me more about Pete's World. Like your trip to Barcelona and the fact that you apparently can track like a bloodhound. Was not expecting that."

"Learned it at Torchwood." Rose shrugged with one shoulder. "Didn't know I was _this_ good at it, though. Was easy, really."

"Yes. Must have been," he said, giving her a funny look.

"Did you really carry me all the way to the TARDIS?"

"Yes."

"Superior Time Lord physiology, yeah?" she joked but he didn't laugh. She jumped off the bed and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you."

He pulled back a little, letting his hands slide from her back and down her arms until he was lightly holding her elbows. "I would say 'anytime', but I don't want to encourage you." He gave her a pointed look.

"Trust me, I'm not planning on getting stabbed by monsters again."

"Good. Now," he said, releasing her to tidy up, "you should go back to bed."

Pouting at him, she crinkled her nose. "Don't want to. I've been alone all day and I'm bored."

"Okay, how's this..."

* * *

Ninety minutes later, Rose was freshly bathed and snuggled up in her bed with a bowl of soup and a cuppa on a bed tray. The Doctor, who'd just come back from Port Fourteen, was by her side, reading to her. She couldn't really shake the feeling that she'd gotten off easy, since she'd been prepared for some serious scolding, but she was not complaining. After spending two years apart, maybe a week in the vortex wasn't such a bad idea after all.


	9. Rebellion

Learning that they would spend a week in the vortex, Martha considered asking the Doctor to take her home for a visit. She didn't much fancy being the fifth wheel for that long; however, Rose wanted to re-discover the time ship and suggested that Martha, who still had not received the grand tour, would join her. That was an offer Martha was much too curious to decline. Rose knew a lot of hidden rooms Martha had no clue how to access so, even though she initially had been scared of feeling left out, Martha had a good time and the week flew by.

Besides exploring, they spent hours in the pool; strolled through multiple gardens; found an arcade room with loads of fun games; asked the TARDIS to show them really strange, alien films; tried out fancy dresses in the wardrobe room and asked the Doctor to show them the outfits and photos of his previous incarnations. He actually enjoyed himself and told them hilarious anecdotes; however, as Rose and Martha fawned over his eighth body and he turned rather jealous and hid beneath the grating to 'tinker'.

At the end of the week, Martha decided to teach Rose how to bake. The galley looked like a chocolate covered war zone and there was more flour on Rose than in the bowls, but they were laughing a lot and Rose was slowly improving.

"I certainly hope there will be bananas in some of whatever you two are baking," said the Doctor, showing up in the galley after his daily TARDIS maintenance.

"You've trained me well, master. Of course!" Rose showed him two loaves of banana bread, which were cooling off on the counter. "Have to warn you, though, 'cause I- OH MY GOD CAREFUL, THOSE ARE HOT!"

The Doctor had already broken off a big piece and shoved it into his mouth. "Mime morb," he said around the mouthful. He swallowed loudly and scoffed. "Like I can't handle a little heat."

"You think you're so impressive." Grinning, Rose let her tongue poke out between her teeth. Martha had never seen her smile at anyone but the Doctor in that way and couldn't help but wonder if it was yet one more inside joke.

"I _am_ so impressive," the Doctor retorted.

"Well…" Smiling expectantly, Rose smoothed out her apron. "Was it any good?

"Oh... Did _you_ make this?" Pinching off a minuscule piece, the Doctor sniffed suspiciously at it and placed it carefully on his tongue.

She smacked him on his arm. "Oi!"

"Just joshing you." Beaming at her, he booped her nose. "It's really good." Then he stuffed his mouth full again. "Oh, right. I came in here to tell you that I thought we could go to New New York for a little shopping. Took Martha a while back but we ended up in the slums and she complained, so I figured..."

"Oi! I got _kidnapped_," she growled but the Doctor dismissed her by waving his hand.

"Really? When we were there I got possessed!" said Rose.

Martha's eyes widened. "Possessed? By what?"

"Oh, a bitchy trampoline." Exchanging a look with the Doctor, Rose and he giggled like maniacs.

"Sorry?"

"Her name was Cassandra and she claimed to be the last human, but really she was just a brain in a jar and some skin stretched out on a frame."

"Okay," Martha drawled. "That's actually one of the weirdest things I've ever heard of, even after travelling with this madman for six months."

"We met her twice, actually, but now she's gone... Oh, that reminds me. Doctor, have you seen that purple top I wore? Was sorting out my wardrobe the other day, but I couldn't find it."

The Doctor's Adam's apple bobbed and Martha thought his voice was a wee bit high pitched as he said, "What purple top?"

"You know, the one I wore when I was possessed?"

"Eeer. No, don't remember it. Sorry," said the Doctor and, for the second time since Martha had known him, she could swear he was blushing. Admittedly, it was very faint but there was no doubt in her mind that he was a bit flushed.

"Oh, c'mon, you remember everything. It was purple, yeah, a bit patchworky, big buttons in the front..." Rose ran her fingers up and down her torso, indicating where the buttons were located. "I know she was controlling my body, but I definitely remember you loo-" Rose shut her mouth as her face turned pink as well.

The Doctor cleared his throat, eyes flitting all over; he seemed to stop himself from yanking his ear and rubbing his neck by shoving his hands very firmly into his trouser pockets. "Oh, that one. I'm sure it'll turn up. I'll just go set the..." He nodded towards the door and left.

"What just happened?" asked Martha.

Rose bit her thumbnail. "Dunno. Let's clean this mess up, yeah? I mean, I know the TARDIS usually does it, but look at this place! We'll help, girl." She patted the walls. "Can't wait to go shop. I'll show you the place where I got my bra. It's really amazing. They have a scanner thing, yeah, and then you choose model and fabric and they scan your body, right there in the shop! Then you wait, like, ten minutes and you have this custom made, perfect fit... I'm gonna buy five. At least. Oh, and you should see this sweets shop..."

Rose kept blabbering on about all the things the Doctor had shown her on their last trip whilst they made the galley sparkly again. Martha didn't really listen, though. This was the second time the Doctor had been flustered about something and this time Rose had seemed rather embarrassed herself. Martha wanted to know more but, since she'd already made things weird before by talking about things that didn't concern her, she kept quiet. 

* * *

The day on New Earth when Cassandra possessed her, Rose was still completely aware of what was happening around her and the Doctor had definitely been stealing glances at her cleavage. Furthermore, he didn't push her away when Cassandra used her body to kiss him and as he finally realised she was possessed, he stopped casually touching her. That was the first time it really dawned on her how much physical contact, albeit of the innocent variety, they usually had. So, Rose had gotten her hopes up, even though they pretended like that kiss had never happened. He obviously _did_ notice her in the way a straight man noticed a woman; he had just been alone for so long and needed time.

However, not long after that Reinette happened and what transpired that day made Rose assume that she was alone in having romantic feelings. Not that they had ever really talked about that either. Admittedly, he did explain about needing to save the courtesan and apologised for how he handled things, albeit reluctantly and _after_ the TARDIS had locked them up in the galley, but Rose's feelings of betrayal were never really acknowledged. It issue hovered in the air between them until it just fizzed away all on its own and, even though she had no real claim on him, she was really hurt.

As time moved on they grew closer again and all those moments that they always pretended never happened occurred more frequently. Lingering embraces leading to almost-kisses; hands that wandered slightly but never crossed the line; heated looks; the Doctor's arm around her as soon as another man had his eye on her and and so on. She even promised him forever and it hadn't scared him, but before it had a chance to amount to anything significant, Rose had been trapped in a parallel world.

So much had happened since Rose came back to the TARDIS and she had completely forgotten about the Doctor's scent lingering in her bed. The fact that he had spoken about her as though she were his ex had also slipped her mind along with the way he held her at their reunion and how devastated he looked when he thought that she was leaving. However, as the Doctor's freckled face turned slightly pink at the mention of her purple top, all of it had come back to her. Oh, he knew where her top was, that was the only explanation to his reaction. He knew where it was and for some reason he didn't want to tell her.

Therefore, she couldn't help but picture him curled up in her bed, snuggling her top-or whatever he'd been doing-and the thought made her blush and giggle. She felt both embarrassed and elated as she imagined him missing her that much and, if she was completely honest with herself, turned on. Maybe he'd done more than just snuggle…? They had never really discussed his sexuality, other than the old him claiming he danced, but Rose was fairly certain that he had been with Reinette. Yes, the Doctor had a sex drive; she was sure of it.

He knew how she felt so maybe if she kept being herself and did what she'd always done-wait for him to come to her-he would finally act on the feelings she suspected he had for her. He _did_ treat her different from anyone else. She was special to him. She had to be. 

* * *

During the weeks that followed their Time Vortex holiday, Martha decided to silently quench her crush on the Doctor. She did keep her hopes up for a while, since nothing ever happened between him and Rose; however, as she got a chance to watch them in their every day life, it was clear to her that their relationship was neither platonic nor familial. The Doctor's hand always found Rose's; he pulled her in for tight hugs for seemingly no reason at all; he was always right by her side, personal space be damned; when they were at markets, he giddily ran from place to place, showing her this and that, and waited, albeit a bit impatiently, as she examined trinkets; on adventures he always made sure she was all right and, on occasion, even coddled her a little; he praised her when she figured something out regardless of the difficulty and he made googly eyes at her all day long. It was very sweet but, to be completely honest, also annoying and a little bit painful.

It didn't matter that the Doctor and Rose never kissed, cuddled on the sofa or that their touches never seemed to be anything but friendly; the love and devotion radiating from them was blatant. Martha had truly believed that he had been flirting with her but, now that she saw how he acted around Rose, she knew she had been completely wrong. The truth was that Martha had never seen the Doctor really happy during their time together and now all he did was run and laugh; all because of a blond shop girl from the 21st century. Rose herself was positively _shining_, there was no better word for it, and she seemed to be made for this life. She never complained about being locked up, dirty or tired, and as soon as the Doctor needed her to play a part, she immediately picked up on his signals and acted without difficulty. Martha couldn't even remember all the different aliases the pair had used, but she was sure she'd heard him call Rose Lewis a few times.

Martha was really happy for the two of them and she felt rather silly about the hopes and dreams she'd had concerning the Time Lord. Now that she knew how attentive and sweet he could be, she realised he'd not been treating her very well. It was time to try her best to move on emotionally.

* * *

After the week following Rose's fight with the alpha, they always seemed to land in safe locations but, the more like herself Rose felt, the more adventurous the trips became. She wasn't sure if it was the TARDIS' doing or the Doctors, but Rose had to admit being eased back into this lifestyle was rather good. The year she spent alone in abandoned buildings had taken its toll, but now she felt like her old self again. The TARDIS' hums and the closeness to the Doctor filled her with peace and it also was wonderful to have another human onboard. Martha and Rose had become good friends and the other woman had proven to be great in the field. Sarah Jane had once said that the Doctor liked an entourage and Rose was certainly seeing the pros of that kind of arrangement.

Rose and Martha had just come from eating breakfast in one of the gardens when they entered the console room, bright, happy and ready for another adventure.

"How about Malkoppioux in the year of our Lord, well, _their_ Lord, 967/X?" The Doctor beamed at them as he bounced around the console.

"Never heard of it, but I'm sure it'll be lovely," said Rose.

"Oh, it's a wonderful, harmless little planet. Been a while since we've had one of those. Shall we?"

They ran through the doors and found themselves in a beautiful forest that seemed to be taken straight out of a fantasy film.

"Lovely, lush landscapes- Oh," he nudged Rose with his elbow, "I like that! Lovely, lush landscapes! The fluffiest bunnies you've ever seen, mushrooms that look like they're made out of glass, the most fragrant flowers, fairy-like creatures fluttering around in the air, spreading pollen, very peaceful people..." He trailed off as a group of heavily armed men, who didn't look very peaceful at all, approached them by horseback.

"Hello!" the Doctor greeted them, hands up in the air. "I'm the Doctor, and this is Rose and Martha."

A tall, dark man with tiny ears and very broad shoulders rode closer, dismounted and held out his hand. "Credentials," he grunted. "And explain why your cattle is free-roaming."

"Certainly!" The Doctor gave him his psychic paper. "Hm, about the cattle... Well, I-"

The Doctor never needed to come up with an explanation because the man's demeanor changed as soon as he saw the 'credentials'.

"Oh, this is fantastic. Truly fantastic! We'll take you to see Whippa now. Just jump on up on one of our spare horses." He pointed at the back of the group. "Choose any of those five magnificent beasts. Oh, and sorry for calling you 'cattle', ladies. Can never be too careful."

"Whippa? Ah, yes, Whippa Peterson. Oh, brilliant! Always wanted to meet her." Beaming at the man, the Doctor took a peek at his psychic paper and then turned to his two companions. "Er, slight mishap. We've happened to arrive in the year of their Lord 567/X, so right dab in the middle of their women's lib. Apparently I'm a missile technician, which is a little strange, but I'm sure we'll find out why soon. You two are my protectors,and we're sent here by someone called Paul. Should be fun!" He grabbed the reins of a black horse and got up in the saddle gracefully, looking as though he'd done it a million times before.

Rose nervously eyed the creatures. "Can you ride?" she asked Martha.

"Of course, can't you?"

"No. At least not _that_ kind of riding," she whispered to Martha and they giggled together.

"Rose, you can ride with me," said the Doctor and the tiny-eared man lifted her up as though she weighed no more than a feather, placing her behind the Doctor.

"Uhm, thanks," she said to the man, wrapping her arms around the Doctor's waist. "What was your name?"

"Breck." The man got back up on his horse. "Follow me, and do hurry up! Can't risk getting caught."

"So… Does this happen a lot? You landing in the wrong year?" asked Martha.

"No, not at all," said the Doctor at the same time as Rose laughed and said, "All the time!"

The Doctor pouted. "What? Not true."

"First time he brought me home to mum's, he landed twelve _months_ later instead of twelve hours."

"What?!"

"Mum thought Mickey had murdered me. She slapped the hell out of the Doctor. Then he tried to take me to a concert, only to land a hundred years earlier. Reminds me a lot about this trip so far, actually. Really hope we don't come across any werewolves. Oh, and then he tried to take me to yet another concert only to land in the wrong country. And remember Cardiff instead of Naples? Not at all? Ha! more like _all the time_. Hasn't he done that with you?"

"No, a few rocky landings, sure, but not like this."

"Aaanyway. We're lucky! If king Ashal VII's men had found us we wouldn't have been this well-treated. It's a horribly misogynistic planet, this. Women are considered commodity and are not allowed to walk freely outdoors. Even if I could prove that you belonged to me, there would be fines and paperwork and probably some public flogging."

"Flogging!?" squeaked Martha.

"Yes, but that's obviously not gonna happen. This is the good side. We're in excellent hands."

"Who's this Whippa, then?"

"She was born Schippanilla Peterson, got the nickname Whippa because she's smart as a whip and isn't afraid of pushing people hard to get results. Well-loved, though, knows how to give inspiring speeches, and is quite the strategist. I think she should be about twenty-five?"

"Twenty-six," said Breck.

"Ah!"

During their ride to Whippa's headquarter, the Doctor filled Rose and Martha in on the history of Malkoppioux. It was a tiny little planet, inhabited by humanoids and the whole place had been run by the very chauvinistic royal family for centuries. The praxis was that newborn baby girls were sent away to be raised in houses specialised in brainwashing them into docile creatures. and, as soon as they started their menstrual cycle, they were placed in households to be slaves and breeders. Sons were of course raised by their fathers and given all the privileges of men.

However, during all of this there was rebels working hard to bring equality to Malkoppioux. Slowly, they gathered resources and gained more people to their cause and they set up refuges and rebel bases in the mountains, unreachable unless you knew the secret passageways since the Malkoppiouxians didn't have aircrafts yet. In these secret villages, people lived in harmony whilst they tried to overrule the king. According to the Doctor, the revolution had been brewing for a couple of hundreds years and Whippa Peterson was the leader who would finally lead the rebels to victory.

* * *

They were ushered into a small building in the outskirts of a semi-abandoned small town and were asked to take a seat. Breck searched the whole place and, after finding it to his satisfaction, knocked three times on a trapdoor in the back of the room. A blond, short woman climbed out and sat down opposite the others.

"Whippa, I presume? I'm the Doctor and this-" He stopped talking as the blond woman shook her head.

"Yes, call me Whippa but I'm just a decoy. I will sit here and pretend to talk to you, but your business is with Breck."

"Hm? Decoy?"

Breck smiled politely to the woman and then turned to the trio of time travellers. "Whippa is in a secret location giving birth." The man swallowed and took a miniscule pause before continuing. "We can't afford anyone knowing she's not here. It's just me and her," he nodded towards the decoy, "Whippa and her midwife who are in on the secret. And now you lot. We are in desperate need of your help. According to our intel, the missiles are being set up as we speak and will be launched at the end of the day. They have the location of thirteen of our twenty refuges, Whippa's included. We'll try to evacuate, of course, but these places are spread out all over the world and making it to another safe location without getting caught is nigh impossible. The king's men will most likely find our caravans, and whoever gets caught will be killed. Please, Doctor, thousands of lives are at stake. Say you can help us."

"Of course! But, missiles? Are you sure about that?"

"It has caught us by surprise, as well. Didn't even know what it was at first. We spent weeks gathering enough intel to try and understand these weapons, but we're not much wiser. Someone has to stop the missiles from launching, and there's no one on our side that's even close to having that kind of knowledge. You're our only hope, Doctor. Can't believe Paul found you. We're so lucky!

"Yes," said the Doctor, playing along. "Good man, that Paul."

"We need to ride to the site at once. We should have enough men to protect you." He looked concernedly at Rose and Martha. "I'm so sorry, but you can't come. If anyone sees you, we'll be apprehended at once. And you two are much too short to ever be believable as men even if we disguise you. Have to say, Doctor, it's an odd choice, women as your protectors..."

"I am a bit odd." He replied smiled widely. "Let me have a word with them in private."

Breck nodded, leaving the room along with the decoy.

"This is very strange. Malkoppiouxians aren't supposed to have this kind of technology for several hundreds of years, at least. But I'll go with Breck and stop the launch. Can't risk Whippa getting killed. Her freeing the people is a fixed point in time but won't happen until she's in her thirties. And then we need to investigate how they've managed to build these missiles. I'm very concerned about that," he scratched one of his sideburns. "Or, I will, at least. It's not safe for you on this planet. I'm so sorry. Maybe we should ask if you can get escorted back to the TA-"

"No. We'll stay here and wait for you," interrupted Rose. "Besides, they might need our help here. Always something to do. Polish swords, make arrows, feed the horses or whatever. Oh, and doctoring! Must be someone who's injured or has a cold, or something. Right, Martha?"

"Yeah, I'm sure we can be useful."

"Very well."

There was a knock on the door and Breck stuck his head in. "Sorry to interrupt, but it takes an hour to ride to the launch site and we need to get you changed. You stick out like a sore thumb in that get-up. We really have no time to spare, Doctor."

"I'll be right out." He turned to his two companions. "See you in a bit, then."

Grabbing his arm, Rose pulled him in for a tight hug. "You be careful, you hear?"

"I'll do my best." He smiled to her and then gave Martha a quick hug as well before leaving.

"I don't like this, Martha. Something always goes wrong when he's on his own."

"He'll be fine, he's the Doctor. C'mon, let's ask not-Whippa if we can be of any help."

Rose and Martha found quite a lot to do to pass the time. Martha was shown to the rebels' infirmary so she helped by tending to injuries, making poultice and taking inventory. Rose, on the other hand, jumped in wherever someone was needed, so she boiled linens, helped in the kitchen, groomed horses and spent an hour at the bedside of injured rebels, chatting. There were a lot of rumours going around about the impact of missiles, since they didn't really have an understanding of such a weapon. Trying her best to calm them, Rose told them all about how brilliant the Doctor was and how he'd do everything in his power to stop the launch.

Rose and Martha sat with not-Whippa in the room with the trapdoor, talking about life as a decoy, when Breck and his men returned. It was a little over four hours later, they were tired and bloodied and at least two thirds of them were missing-the Doctor included.

Rose rushed towards Breck but, before she had a chance to ask, he started explaining: "I'm so sorry. We were caught and they captured the Doctor and the others. We tried to stop them but as you can see..." He gestured at his injured group of men. "I'm so sorry. Many lives were lost, and we barely got out of there alive."

"What does that mean? What will they do to him?"

"They'll probably try and make him work for their side-"

"That's never gonna happen."

"Then they'll execute him and the others publicly in the morning to show the people what happens when you conspire against the crown."

"Then why are we still standing here? We have to save him!"

"I'm sorry, but their prison is impenetrable. There's nothing we can do."

"What?! But, he's your only shot of stopping the missiles. We have to do something."

Breck folded his arms over his massive chest. "No, we don't. Trust me, we've tried to save people before, but it's a suicide mission. The only thing we can do now, is try to evacuate."

Putting her hands on her hips, Rose gave him her best Tyler glare. "And what about your unborn child? Because you're the father, right? I saw how you teared up when you said Whippa was in labour. Will _they_ make it?"

Breck flinched a little but he didn't change his mind. "She's only a smoke signal away. As soon as I alert her, they'll move to a safe location."

"And what if they can't? What if she's in the middle of the delivery?" asked Martha.

"Don't you think I would risk _everything_ if I thought we had a chance at succeeding?" barked Breck. "Believe me, there's nothing to do but pray. Now, excuse me. I have to get everyone started."

"We can't just leave him!" Rose shouted after him but Breck ignored her and left the building. She turned to Martha. "We have to do something. I'm not leaving him."

"What can we do?"

Biting her lip, Rose helplessly looked around the room as though a solution would pop up if she only stared at the right spot.

"Breck is right. There's nothing you can do. I'm so sorry." said not-Whippa.

"Martha, please... We have to do something."

"If we can't break in, there's only one thing I can think of, and that's trading him for something. Like information, or a weapon, or... Oh, I dunno. Doesn't matter, does it? We can't betray these people, and we don't have anything to give." said Martha.

Rose stared at not-Whippa. "Decoy..." She stepped up to the woman, eying her looks: shoulder length blond hair, brown eyes, short and toned. Rose touched her own hair; it reached an inch beneath her shoulders and would only need a little trim. "I think we _do_ have something."


	10. Little Cow

**Warning: Contains some violence and abusive behaviour.**

* * *

Martha crossed her arms over her chest once Rose had finished telling her plan. "Absolutely not."

"But you heard the Doctor! Whippa freeing the people is a fixed point in time. We have to stop this and the Doctor is the only person who can do it."

"If I don't stop you, the Doctor will never forgive me, Rose."

"If I don't do this, he will _die_, Martha. Him and all of these innocent people. And you, you'll be stuck on a planet where you're considered a thing. Is that what you want?"

"Of course not." Martha shook her head. "But, they'll kill you, Rose."

"I'm sure they'll make a big spectacle out of it, her being the rebel leader and all, so there will be time for the Doctor to save me. And if he doesn't... Well, I'll try to escape and if I fail, at least I died for a good cause," she said and shrugged, looking away.

"No. I can't let you do it."

"Well, Martha. You're about to learn something about Rose Tyler. If I've got my mind set on something, there's nothing that can stop me, all right?" she said, eyes blazing, but then she took a deep breath and calmed down. "Look. The Doctor already knows I always do what I want. He won't blame you. I'm doing this. There are more important things at stake than me. Now," she said, turning to the decoy. "Wanna trade clothes?" 

* * *

Breck was onboard as soon as she told him her plan, to him there really was no conflict. Rose's sacrifice would save thousands of lives, including his partner's and their unborn child. He formed the plan and arranged everything whilst Rose got ready: a haircut and the decoy's clothes; knives tied to her ankles; a quick lesson in how Whippa moved and talked; and some general information about the planet and the movement. She was ready.

There were countless of men from both sides posted around the area: ranged with bows and arrows as well as melee fighters armed with swords. They had asked the warden to put a sack on the Doctor's head and, as soon as he reached Martha, she sedated him. She had four more shots ready in case his body broke down the sedative too quickly since they couldn't risk him waking up too soon.

The Doctor had been dressed in traditional Malkoppiouxian clothing when he had been taken, so the king's men had thankfully believed him to be nothing but another unimportant rebel. So, using the warden's disdain for women, Breck claimed that the Doctor was the love of Whippa's life and that she would do anything to spare his life. Rose had chuckled a little at that, since it wasn't very far from the truth, even if Whippa never would have done that. However, it wasn't just her love for the Doctor that motivated Rose. This was a good cause and risking her life for the safety of others had become her life's calling.

Knowing they wanted Whippa alive, Rose reckoned they would use this opportunity to plan a spectacular execution so they could make an example out of her in an effort to frighten the other rebels. That gave her time. She would do her best to escape and, if that didn't work, she hoped that the Doctor would come for her as soon as he solved the missile crisis. The Malkoppiouxians might considered the prison impenetrable but there was no doubt in her mind that the Doctor would be able to do it. Well, if there was enough time...

Rose stood quietly by the window in the warden's office, waiting for Breck's smoke signal to tell her that he, Martha and the Doctor had arrived safely at the rebel camp. They had told the warden that 'Whippa' would give him the location of four more refuges as soon as her friends were out of danger, as a final safety measure. The trade had gone surprisingly well this far but Rose didn't relax until she finally saw the three orange puffs of smoke, she and Breck had agreed upon, ascend in the sky. She let out a sigh of relief as silently as she could, not wanting to show weakness in front of the warden.

"Suppose he's safe now, your pretty boy," the warden hissed, suddenly standing behind her. "Satisfied?"

"Not even a little. But it'll do."

Licking his lips, he gave her looks of appraisal. "You're a fine little cow, you are. Too bad for me the king wants you all to himself."

"Does he, now?"

"Oh, you'll have fun, little cow. Don't you worry." He grinned at her and motioned one of the four armed guards at her side to take her away. "You'll have to wait for him in your cell, though. Won't have you stink up my office."

"Great. Can't wait," she muttered. 

* * *

Martha could barely remember a time when she had felt as nervous as she did now. When Rose was injured in the jungle, the Doctor had been... Wel, Martha scarcely describe it. All she knew was that she'd never seen him like that before.  
He was stirring now, which meant he was about to wake up and that she would have to tell him about Rose willingly trading places with him. Anticipating his reaction, Martha asked Breck to be left alone with the Doctor whilst the others waited outside.

"Where am I? What...?" The Doctor squinted and rubbed his eyes. "Martha? What are you...?" Sitting up, he looked around the room, already suspicious. "Where is Rose?"

Martha swallowed and put her hand on his arm in an effort of calming him. "Doctor... She's..." she trailed off, mouth too dry and brain barely functioning.

"She's what?"

"We, uhm, we arranged a trade."

"Yes, I gathered."

"Rose and Whippa, they... Well, they sort of look alike, don't they? So she figured..."

The Doctor was unnervingly calm, eyes black and jaw tight. "She figured _what_, Martha?"

"I'm so sorry, Doctor. She just wanted to help."

"I'm going back for her," he stated, already at the door.

"No, you can't! Doctor, think about this. There are only a few hours left until they'll launch the missiles. If we don't stop them, her sacrifice will be for nothing."

"Her _sacrifice_?" He towered over her and the contempt he radiated made her shiver. "How could you let her do this, Martha?"

It was hard to pinpoint how he did it, since he was just a skinny, geeky bloke with fair skin and freckles, but as he stood over her, all Oncoming Storm and Killer of His Own Kind, the Doctor was the most frightening thing Martha had ever come across. Her legs were shaking and she reflexively backed up against the wall to get away from the Time Lord, only to be followed by him. "Please, Doctor. I tried to stop her, but..."

"_Tried_? You should've tied her down or locked her up or done whatever you had to do! You didn't try! You just let her! I'm going after her and, if you ever wanna go back home, you are helping me."

Martha gathered all of her courage. "No. I know you love her, Doctor. But, you're needed here. Thousands of people will die. We'll get her as soon as we've taken care of the missiles, all right?"

His eyes narrowed. "And what if they kill her before that?"

"No, think about this. They were going to execute you and the others in the morning, and you lot were just regular rebels, but Whippa's the face of this whole thing. They're gonna make her execution this big event. Breck even said so. We'll have time to save her. I know we will."

"I can't risk it. We're going," he said, heading for the door again.

Ignoring her fear, she grabbed his arm and stilled him. "Are you really going to choose one life over thousands? Really? Is that what you do now?"

"I don't care about them!" he shouted, but then his mouth snapped shut and his eyes widened. He was silent for several heartbeats, just staring at Martha, before his Adam's apple bobbed and he slumped a little, looking defeated. "What is the plan?" 

* * *

Rose didn't find it very fun to be stripped down naked and searched by a bunch of misogynistic arseholes, but at least they didn't hurt her. 'Whippa' was important, and the king wanted her unharmed-most likely because he wanted to be the cause of all of her bruises. Rose was dressed in a prison union suit with a button flap and, even though she was now knifeless and tied up against the damp stone wall of her cell, she chuckled at the coincidence.

She wasn't sure for how long she stayed in the cell when the doors finally opened, but it felt like forever. They put a sack over her head, tied her hands together and ushered her a few floors up and then outside. She tensed. They weren't planning on executing her already, right? No, the king wanted her and she still hadn't given them the information she had promised. However, as someone lifted her into a carriage and it drove off, she realised they probably were taking her directly to the king. She tried her best to remember how the carriage moved but soon she realised it was impossible and gave up. Luckily, they didn't travel for very long and she hoped she would find her way back anyway, if she was able to escape.

They ushered her into a building and after walking down a corridor and into a room, someone removed the sack over her head. She was in a large, luxuriously furnished room with dark woods, plush carpets, velvet drapes and details in gold. Not really her thing but impressive nonetheless. Two guards were by the door, two women kneeled on the floor beside a large bed, and in a throne-like chair sat a man she presumed was the King. He was a rather handsome with a strong jaw, sensual lips and a straight nose but his eyes were cold and hard.

Growing up on the Estate, travelling with the Doctor and working for Torchwood had left Rose pretty good at reading people. This man was the result of generations of hatred for women and, even though she was supposed to be a rebel leader, it was clear to her that the King didn't view her as a threat. That was good.

"Your majesty." She curtsied.

"Whippa Peterson..." He licked his lips and sneered at her. "We finally meet. Turn around." He twirled his index finger in the air and she did as she was told. "You're short. Complexion could be nicer, tits perkier. Bum's tolerable, I suppose. Big mouth. That's good." Grinning widely, he cupped his bulge. "You're going to need it."

Rose ducked her head, letting him think she actually believed him and was hurt by his judgment.

"Oh, what's this? A shy little cow! Aren't you supposed to be a fierce rebel leader?"

"Your majesty have gotten things wrong," she said, using a soft voice. "I'm just the-the poster girl. Got a knack for remembering all those speeches, is all. I'm not the brains of the organisation."

"Obviously not. The brains of the organisation would never turn themselves in for love." He spat the last word, looking like it left a bitter taste in his mouth. "So, tell me, Whippa. Do you even know the location of these supposed refugee camps?" Rose shook her head and he tilted his, cocking an eyebrow. "You sure, little cow?" She nodded.

Rising slowly, the King walked up to her and grabbed her chin so he could inspect her features more thoroughly. "There's something missing..." His brow furrowed and, for a split second, Rose was scared that he saw something in her-something that showed that she wasn't Whippa or maybe that she wasn't from this planet-but then his palm connected with her face and she could feel her lip splitting open. "That's better," he stated, brushing the droplet of blood off her.

She noticed that the women hadn't flinched nor did they look at her. They were still sitting primly on their knees with their hands in their laps, smiling politely and staring at nothing. One of them had a nasty bruise covering half her face and the other had scrapes and bite marks over her arms and neck. Seeing the poor women like that only served to make Rose more determined to take down this swine of a King. Breck told her that they never would expect the rebels to strike again the same day after their failure, so she would do her best to keep the King preoccupied until nightfall. If she didn't hear any missiles launching, she knew she could try to escape.

"I'll ask you again. Do you know where the refugee camps are located?" Rose licked her split lip and shook her head, looking at the king as innocently as she could. The king narrowed his eyes, staring straight into hers. "Who was that man?"

"What man?"

"The man we traded you for."

"Just another rebel." She racked her brain, trying to remember some of the names she heard in the camp. She didn't dare use 'John Smith' in case those were names completely unheard of on this planet. "His name is Larc and-and I love him."

"Is he the real rebel leader?" The king looked very pleased with himself, as though he had just figured it all out and needed her to confirm it.

"No."

"Are you sure?" He ran his finger over her mouth, pressing down on her wound.

Nodding, Rose swallowed down the taste of blood in her mouth. "He's not strong enough." Her eyes flitted to the king's strong arms. "The other men wouldn't follow someone like him."

Smirking, the King flexed his muscles a little. "I see. But why would the brains of the operation agree on trading you for him if he's just another rebel?"

"'Cause they've been..." She snapped her mouth shut, hunching her shoulders a little and looking away.

"They've been what?" She pursed her lips and shook her head. "Oh, come on now, little cow, we've been getting along so well."

When she still didn't continue her sentence, he grabbed her chin and tilted her face up so he could suck her bottom lip into his mouth. He ran his tongue over the wound before biting down hard. She whimpered a little, closing her eyes and furrowing her brow.

"They've been what?" He slapped her other cheek when she still refused to answer him. "They've been what?" Grabbing a fistful of hair, he pulled her towards him and leaned in so close that she could smell the wine and smoked meat on his breath. "You look disgusting in those clothes."

"I'm sorry," she whispered, forcing a few tears to pool in the corners of her eyes.

"Cows, find something suitable for her to wear," he barked, walking back to the throne-like chair and sitting down.

The women opened up a lavish armoire and pulled out a garment much like what they were wearing themselves. It was soft, pink and reminded Rose of a toga with very high double slits and a belt made out of golden ringlets. The king kept pointing out her physical flaws as they undressed her, but Rose saw his eyes glazing over and his jaw turning slack. She wanted to snort at his efforts to put her down but, playing her part, displayed a few nervous tics instead.

"Much better. Could barely stand to look at you in those rags." He wrinkled his nose. "No, wait. I want you in white. Cows, change her dress."

The women pulled off her toga and replaced it with one exactly like it, only white, whilst the king drooled over her and shifted a little in his seat. He motioned her to twirl and she did so with a polite smile, making sure to take in the room as she moved.

The guards had short swords hanging at their hips and even, though their torsos were protected by leather armour, they didn't have helmets or seem to have anything but trousers covering their legs. There were a few big vases and heavy candle holders she could use in self-defense and on a side table close to the throne-like chair, stood a fruit platter with a small knife. Noticing another door, she guessed it lead to an en-suite or a closet. There was also a window and, catching a glimpse of the darkening sky, she realised it was close to evening.

"So, little cow, are you untouched?" Rose shook her head. "How many men have taken you?"

She had no idea how many men Whippa had been with so she decided to just tell her own truth. "Six."

The King's eyes widened. "Six? How old are you?"

"Twenty-six," she replied, remembering Whippa's age.

"Six is very little for twenty-six. Is there something wrong with you? Why would only six men take you?"

Rose shrugged. "Dunno."

"And this man you saved, is he one of those six?"

"No."

This time, the King's jaw actually dropped and he started laughing. "No? Why not?"

"He doesn't love me back."

The King laughed harder still. "Of course not! Men don't love. Men want, crave and take but they don't love. Oh, you silly cow. You amuse me." The king got up from his throne and walked up to her, still laughing. He punched her hard in her stomach and, protectively wrapping her arms around herself, she fell over. "You've forgotten your manners, cow."

"I'm sorry," she croaked between coughs.

"I'm sorry, _what_?" He pulled her up from the floor, forcing her to stand and look him in the eye.

Rose groaned inwardly. She had completely forgotten about titles, even though Breck had told her to call the King 'sire'.

"I'm sorry, your majesty, sire." She tried to curtsy. "I fled from my master at the age of seventeen and I've lived too long in the wild. Don't remember my manners anymore, sire."

The king nodded and patted her on her bum. "Of course not. You're just a stupid, little cow with a stupid, little cow brain." He sat down again but motioned her to kneel in front of him. "Tell me more about the actual brains of the operation."

"They'll kill me if I do, sire."

"And I won't? You don't have anything I need, cow. I could kill you right now, if I wanted to." Picking up the knife from the fruit platter, he turned it over in his hands and checked the sharpness of the blade against the pad of his thumb. "And I would be slow, you know. I'd take my time and really enjoy myself."

Oh, of that she had no doubt. "Yes, sire."

"Tell me more," he demanded, putting down the knife.

"His name is-"

"Wait." The King held up his hand to stop her. "His? So it _is_ a man? A man is the instigator? Are you lying to me cow?"

Rose shook her head. "No, sire."

"Why in the name of the Lord would a man want things to change?"

"He doesn't want things to change with the cows, sire. Not really. That's just a-a ruse. He wants to make this world run as a republic."

The king knitted his brow. "As a what? I'm not familiar with that disgusting rebel word."

"It means that the world is run by officials elected by the people, sire."

The king laughed again. "I see. Yes, that makes perfect sense. There are always men who can't be content with what they have. He must be a coward, then, hiding behind a cow." Running his hand over her chest, he cupped one breast and she forced herself not to shudder or curl her lips in revulsion. "Why did they trade you?"

She could tell the king was fascinated by her and, as long as she was talking, he would keep her alive and not kill her or force himself on her, but it was hard to know how much to tell and how soon. All lies and half-truths, of course, formed to pique his interest and still make him feel as though he was in control. Some she and Breck agreed upon beforehand, some she made up on the spot. Like this one-he would have fun with this one-and hopefully it would grant her more time. "They want to make a martyr out of me, sire."

"Oh, that's clever!" The King nodded, still holding her breast. "I like this man. What's his name?"

"B-breck, sire."

"Breck... I've heard of him." He cupped her other breast. "Slight size difference." Bloody hell, it was hard not to roll her eyes at the moron. "Do you know what the really fantastic part is about all of this?" She shook her head. "That Breck is a man who wants power and that means if I just give him what he wants, he'll be out of my hair. I can give him a title and a small region to rule as he sees fit. He can have as many cows as he wants." Smiling at her, he pinched her nipple before releasing her. "Not you, though. You're mine."

"Yes, sire."

"See, I'm not going to make you a martyr, cow. That would be counterproductive. Do you know what that word means?" She nodded. "Good little cow. I only have two options, really, because the word is already out. Everyone knows I have you in my possession. So I will either have my fun and then have you slaughtered privately and thrown to the pigs. Or...I can keep you." His hands found their way into her hair. "This golden hair of yours... It's not common in this region. Red, black, brown and white, yes, but not golden. Is it common in your region, little cow?"

Rose was really glad that she spent time with the decoy, who was from the same place as Whippa, learning about her people so she could answer these kinds of questions without making it obvious that she wasn't from this planet at all. "It's not common, sire, but it's not unheard of either."

"Have you ever produced children?"

"No, sire."

"Calves, then?"

_Calves_? God, this man was repulsive. "No, sire. I've never been pregnant."

"But you're twenty-six! Is there something wrong with you?"

"No, sire. But since I've been the face of the rebellion, I've been allowed some freedom."

"The freedom to say no?" The King chortled, as though it was the most preposterous thing he had ever heard.

"Yes, sire."

"And do the men listen?"

"Not always, sire."

"And what do you do when they don't listen?"

"Nothing, sire."

"Good. I couldn't stand having to break you in, cow." He ran his fingers through her hair and breathed her in. "I'd like a couple of sons with this golden hair. And then I can kill you."

"Yes, sire."

The King began to undress. "Leave us."

The guards left the room without a word and the women turned around to face the wall. Rose could barely believe her luck! The King was so arrogant and sure of her compliance that he trusted her alone with him. Well, not entirely alone, since the two women still were in the room, but Rose would bet everything she owned that they wouldn't lift a finger to protect anyone. Not even themselves.

Taking the knife from the fruit platter, the now naked and very aroused King stepped up to her. Rose stiffened slightly but relaxed as she realised he was only using the knife to cut her free from her toga. The golden belt stayed wrapped around her waist as the fabric slid down and pooled at her feet and he tugged her closer by looping his finger through one of the ringlets.

"You," he grabbed her hips so hard it would leave bruises, "are mine."

"Yes, sire."

He slapped her hard and bore his fingers into the flesh of her upper arms, tugging her forward. "Silence! Not one more word from you. Bed."

She walked slowly to the bed and lay down, glad to notice she could see the window clearly from her position. Her heart started beating hard in her chest as she saw that the sky had turned dark. The missiles were supposed to be launched at the end of the day and she had not heard anything. This meant she could finally act.

Running his tongue over his teeth, the King crawled into the bed with her. "Oh, I'm going to enjoy this, cow."

"My name is Rose, you moron," she growled, kneeing him hard in the groin.

He fell over, cradling his private parts and, without hesitation, she grabbed a candle holder from the nightstand and slammed it into his head so hard that he lost consciousness. She didn't dare to hurt him further, since she needed to think about the timelines, so she grabbed the knife instead and stuck it between her teeth. She opened up the armoire and got dressed so she could sneak out. She was counting on that no one would recognise her or suspect she didn't belong, since she'd worn a sack over her head coming in and bruises seemed to be rather common for 'cows'.

"One word from the two of you, and I'll..." she said threateningly to the women, even though she definitely wouldn't hurt them, but they just kept staring into the wall.

Rose used her cut up toga to tie up the king to the bedposts and gag him before heading for the mysterious door. She didn't dare using the one she had entered earlier in case the guards were just outside. Rose pressed her lips together not to laugh at her luck. It wasn't an en-suite or a closet. It was a terrass and it had a stairwell leading down to the garden. Looking around, she saw that she wasn't at a castle but a villa surrounded by a forest. A few 'cows' were bustling around in the garden, walking from the villa to what Rose assumed was the slave quarters and other smaller buildings. All of them carried lanterns and most of them carried something else, like bread baskets, linens, wine bottles, wood and the like.

Rose went back into the room, fetched the fruit platter and found a small kerosene lamp. Carrying them, she walked down the stairs and onto the lawn. Her legs were shaking a little and her head and stomach hurt badly, but she had to keep moving. It repulsed her how badly treated the women were but she couldn't deny it was also to her advantage. They were so subdued no one really paid any attention to her or the others; a cow would never pose as a threat. The few guards that patrolled the premiss seemed to be on the lookout for rebels and intruders, not a stupid, little cow carrying food.

She headed for the slave quarters but slipped behind the building instead of into it. She snuck into the woods and as soon as she was out of sight, she began to run.

"Please," she whispered into the darkness. "TARDIS please say you can hear me." She didn't have her key, since she'd given it to Martha for safekeeping, and she didn't know where she was. "Please TARDIS, help me find my way."

Hiding behind some rocks, she sat down and tried her hardest to focus as she pictured the time rotor and remembered the timeship's singing. Letting the memories flood her mind, she begged: "Please TARDIS, please."

She concentrated so hard sweat ran down her temples and her back and it took several long moments before her efforts bore fruit. She could finally sense it; that tiny nudging feeling behind her forehead, calling to her and pulling her in.

"Oh, god thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you," she whispered, running towards the TARDIS.


	11. Scared

The Doctor didn't care that Martha wouldn't be able to pass for a man if disguised; they refused to be separated. Luckily, everything went well this time as they attacked the launch site and tried to get to the control room. She had never seen the Doctor work as efficiently-or violently. Granted, he left the _physical_ violence to the others, but he did sneak up behind guards and personnel and, letting his fingers rest at their temples for a second, made them fall to the ground unconscious. The detached look in his eyes told her this wasn't something he was comfortable doing, but it was still a violation of their minds and it scared her that he held those kinds of powers.

It was so easy to pretend that she was travelling time and space with a fit, young hero; however, when moments like these happened she was reminded of who he really was: one of the most feared men in the universe. She couldn't help but wonder what else didn't she know about him and what kinds of things he would be willing to do to save someone he loved. Honestly, she wasn't so sure she wanted to know.

Despite having lost his sonic screwdriver, the Doctor managed well anyway and the missiles were stopped and dismantled before the launch was supposed to take place. Breck felt somewhat responsible for Rose's fate and wanted to help the Doctor and Martha rescue Rose. So, after making sure his men had control over the situation, the trio stared making their way towards the prison.

They used a combination of force, the Doctor's mind tricks and swift feet to get to the warden's quarters without much difficulty and almost no injuries. Breck didn't say anything, but Martha could tell he was uneasy by the Doctor's ability and was aware of his every movement. The prison was supposed to be impenetrable but, with this strange pinstriped man, it took only three people to reach the most important man in the building in almost no time at all. They didn't bother dragging the warden out of bed before asking him where 'Whippa' was.

The portly man sat, somewhat confused and clad in a nightshirt with a matching hat on his head, clutching the covers to his chest. "You're too late."

"No." The Doctor was completely still, eyes fixed on the warden.

"Yes. They've executed her. King's orders."

"You are lying. She's not dead."

"She is!"

"I want to see her."

"You can't."

Lightening fast, the Doctor's hand shot out and gripped the warden by the throat, lifting him up in the air and pressing him against the wall. Martha covered a gasp with her hand, scrambling backwards in shock.

"I want to see her," the Doctor growled.

The warden sputtered and flailed, unable to get a word out.

The Doctor released him and he fell to the floor, coughing and heaving. "She's not here. The King took her. He had his way with her and she tried to escape so they-they executed her and burned her remains."

"They did _what_!?"

"Traitorous cows trying to escape are killed on sight! How can you not know this? Every Malkoppiouxian knows this!" the warden said, desperation lacing his voice. He turned to Breck. "Tell him!"

"Cows? _Cows_?!" the Doctor snarled, eyes black and fathomless. The warden curled into fetal position, shaking with fear. "If you call her cow again, I will kill you. Understood?" The warden nodded frantically. "Where did this happen?"

"I don't know! The king took her to one of his secret villas. I don't know where it is."

"Then how do you know what happened?" the Doctor barked.

"They sent a messenger. Wanted word out immediately to show the people that not even infamous cows are treated any differently."

The Doctor's hand was around the warden's throat again. "What did I just say?"

Fear that the Doctor would actually follow through on his threat released Martha from her shock and she sprung to action. "Doctor, stop it! Leave him. He's not worth it!" She yanked his arm away. "You don't want to do this."

"Don't you _dare_ tell me what I want!" he snarled, nostrils flaring and body close to vibrating with fury. He turned back to the warden but kept his hands by his side. "Where is my sonic screwdriver?"

"Your what?" he whispered, hands covering his bruised throat.

"The weapon you took from me when you apprehended me."

"It's not here. The king has it."

"The king has it? _The king has it_!?" The Doctor clenched and unclenched his fists a few times, controlling his breathing. "We're going back to the launch base. Someone there must know where that villa is," he said, stalking out of the room.

"Doctor, wait," Martha shouted, running after him and feeling tears welling up in her eyes. "What about Rose? D-do you believe him? Is she..."

"No! She can't... No. I'm going to find her."

"Doctor, I'm very sorry but the warden was telling the truth," Breck said, who came running up behind them. "They do kill women on sight if they try to escape. It's been like that for centuries. I'm-I'm so sorry for your loss." Bowing his head, he closed his eyes to pay respect.

"No! My Rose is alive, she's _so_ alive. It takes more than a misogynistic bastard to stop her. I believe in her, you just wait and see."

Looking helplessly at Martha, Breck shrugged and shook his head.

"You tell him, Martha. You know." The Doctor swallowed loudly, his eyes wide open and glossy. "She's not. Not her. She-she can't be."

He looked truly terrified of being wrong and Martha knew she had to be the strong one. She had to make him keep going because if he broke down now... Oh, she didn't want to finish that thought. If she could at least get him to the TARDIS maybe that would help.

"Yes. Rose is tough, she is. As nails. And the Doctor will find her, won't you? You can scan for her or something?"

Bouncing up and down, he ran his fingers through his hair. "Yes! Yes, that's it. Oh, Martha, I knew I kept you around for a reason." He planted a kiss on her forehead. "I just need my spare sonic from the TARDIS and her hairbrush and I can build this little thing. We can trace her bio signal! I'll find her. You'll see!"

He started running towards the entrance; Martha and Breck did their best to keep up and by the time they reached the horses they were more than a little winded. The Doctor seemed completely unaffected by the exertion but the others had to lean against each other to catch their breaths.

Breck mounted his stallion. "I'm so sorry for your loss but I won't follow you in this madness. King Ashal VII is a cruel man. You won't make it out of there alive. I offer you the horses as payment for my part in your loss." Furrowing his brow, he shook his head at their foolishness. "Good luck, you'll need it, and may the Lord be with you." He did some hand gesture Martha assumed was religious,and then he rode off, leaving her alone with the manic Time Lord.

* * *

Running for ones life sure as hell wasn't as fun barefoot. Rose's feet were cut and bruised by pebbles, twigs and stupid roots she kept tripping over. She ditched the kerosene lamp as soon as she left the garden and had therefore been moving in the dark as she followed the TARDIS' calling. She ate the fruit right away, since she hadn't been given any food for hours, but after running for at least an hour, she really regretted not saving at least a juicy plum. She was thirsty but didn't dare eat anything in the forest in case it was poisonous and she didn't come across any water. So she soldiered on, listening to the time ship's song and holding the knife in a tight grip in case she came across a wild animal or a guard. Or, she supposed, just a man-any man-on this planet. Pursing her lips to stop herself from wasting well-needed energy on muttering curses, Rose kept moving until she finally reached the clearing where the TARDIS was parked.

"Oh!" She drew in a ragged breath of relief at the sight of the beautiful, blue box, but then she heard something snap behind her. Crouching down, she instinctively rolled to the side and turned around. A lone guard snarled triumphantly at her and Rose licked her lips and snarled right back.

"This little cow fights back, you know," she taunted him, ready to pounce.

"Cows can't fight, you don't have the stre-" His sentence ended in a gurgling shriek as Rose stabbed him in the shins with her knife and then kicked him hard in the face as he toppled over.

"TARDIS, please open the doors. PLEASE OPEN THE DOORS!" she yelled, using the little energy she had left to sprint the last few yards into safety. 

* * *

The Doctor sat on the jumpseat with his tongue curled over his lip in concentration as he used hair from Rose's brush, his spare sonic and a box of assorted thingamabobs to built a device he could use to track her. He mumbled occasionally but Martha stopped listening a long time ago, since she barely understood half of it and knew he didn't really talk for her benefit. His hair was a right mess, he was white as a sheet and the frantic look in his eye properly scared her.

They had tied the horses by the railings in the console room to prevent them from wandering off, so Martha stood by them, seeking comfort by patting their soft warm coat. Rose's TARDIS key felt heavy around Martha's neck. It didn't matter that the exchange was Rose's choice or that Martha thought her friend had done the right thing; she was overcome with guilt for helping Rose with the plan, feeling like it was her fault that her new friend was most likely dead.

Martha threw her arms around the horse she'd been riding, burying her face in the crook of her elbow and trying her best not to cry. She wasn't sure if the Doctor would be able to hold it together if she broke down.

"Just a little bit more..." said the Doctor, screwing something into place.

The doors flung open.

"What?!"

Rose threw herself through the doors, which slammed shut loudly behind her, and scrambled to her feet. "Why," she panted, leaning against the railing leading up the ramp, "are there horses in here? Thought I said no to horses..." She coughed a little, breath wheezing, "...a long time ago."

She was hurt, _really_ hurt: her whole face was swollen and her lip split open; her arms were bruised and her hands bloodied; the dress she wore was torn and her feet and legs were full of scrapes and cuts. Martha stood frozen in shock for a second and, before she had a chance to snap out of it so she could check her friend's injuries, the Doctor was by Rose's side.

"Rose..." The Doctor swallowed, face stricken, and he lifted his hand towards her swollen cheeks in horror; however, before he came close enough to touch her he let his hand drop, stepping back a little and taking in her form. "You're..." He shook his head, mouth opening and closing, as he repeatedly eyed her from head to toe. His jaw went slack and it looked as though he had forgotten how to breathe. He pointed at her dress with trembling hands. It had such high slits Martha could clearly see finger shaped bruises on Rose's hips. "Did-did-" Clearing his throat, he schooled his features into an ice-cold mask. "Where. Where is he?"

Still panting, Rose could barely stand on her feet and it seemed as though she had trouble talking. She lifted her hand to her mouth, mimicking drinking something. Reaching into his pockets, the Doctor pulled out a bottle and removed the lid before handing it to Rose. After taking a handful of small sips, she licked her lips and thanked him with a small smile. He scooped her up in his arms without a word and carried her to the infirmary, putting her down on one of the stretchers so Martha followed him, prepared to take care of her friends injuries.

"Where is he?" he repeated, still with his carefully controlled expression in place.

Rose knitted her brow. "Why you asking?"

"You know why." His tone sent chills down Martha's spine. There was no doubt in her mind that the Doctor would leave the patching up to her and so he could find the King and kill him with his bare hands.

"I'm not gonna tell you. You said Whippa will change everything in her thirties. We've done what we were supposed to." She closed her eyes and made a face, shifting a little because of the pain. "The missiles won't launch, she will live and history can take its course. It's done, all right?"

"But he..." His nostrils flared, heavily breathing in and out, and his hands hovered around her as though all he wanted was to touch her but didn't have the courage to do so. "They told me you were dead," he whispered, sounding like a lost, little boy. "They said..." His breathing was uneven and his eyes glassy. "Rose, I..."

"Shhh." She cupped his cheek and at the contact he sagged a little, tension washing away. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch, whispering over and over how he thought he had lost her; Rose moved her other hand to his hair, running her fingers soothingly through his messy locks.

The tenderness Martha saw at that moment made her feel like an intruder so, putting down the instruments, she turned away and headed for her room. However, before she made it out of earshot, she heard the Doctor ask, choking on the words, "Did he... Rose, did he...?"

Rose chuckled. "Nah, stupid idiot sent the guards away when he wanted to, you know, so I knocked him out and escaped. So, I'm fine. Alive and kicking, yeah?

Letting out a breath of relief, Martha was just about to start walking again when she heard the Doctor's reaction and decided to go back.

"'Fine'?" he spat, the Oncoming Storm creeping into his voice. "You're not fine. You're-you're..." He gestured around her, eyes blazing.

"Yes, '_fine_'. He just slapped me around a little and I'm gonna heal. Been through worse." Rose tilted her chin up, looking as though she had been through this before and knew what was coming.

"'_Slapped you around_'?" he growled, leaning over her. "You almost got yourself killed. Again. What would've happened if he didn't mind an audience, hm?"

Martha had been scared senseless when the Doctor had raged at her because, even though she doubted that he would ever hurt her, she hadn't been so sure in that moment. He was a mercurial being, tightly wound at that, and one day he would most likely snap. There was no way that she would leave her already hurt friend with the unpredictable and emotionally unstable Time Lord. Rose hadn't told them any details and, for all Martha knew, she could've been sexually assaulted. Looking at the Doctor's temper and Rose's state, Martha was scared that this could escalate and Rose really didn't need that right now. However, as Martha turned to look at her, she realised she'd been underestimating her friend.

The Doctor's eyes were black as night, his features hard and he surrounded himself and Rose with his unnervingly cold aura as he stood looming over her. He looked terrifying but Rose didn't seem to give a damn. Sat calmly with her head held high, not showing fear in any form, and Martha knew it wasn't an act. This was a woman completely sure of herself, her actions and the fact that the man in front of her would never harm her-no matter how imposing he seem.

"Does it matter?" Rose asked calmly. "I did what I had to do and I'm glad I did. If I hadn't, you would've died along with thousands of innocent people."

He stared intensely at her. "I would've figured something out. Always do."

"Usually do. You're brilliant at it, even, but this time you needed me."

"You nearly died." he said, voice breaking at the last word.

"But I didn't."

"You were lucky. Just like last time. And the time before that."

"What?"

He raised his hands but instantly dropped them again, looking as though he wanted to grab her upper arms but had enough sense to stop himself before he added to her bruises. "I sent you away, but you came back and if not for Pete, you would've gotten sucked into the void. And then with the alpha. You just had to go after us, and you almost got yourself killed but thanks to her not having replenished her venom, you survived. Why do you always insist in disregarding my considerate experience? I've done this for a very long time, you'd do good listening to me, once in a while!"

Rose put her hand on his shoulder, trying to reason with him. "If I hadn't come back at Canary Wharf, what would've happened, Doctor? How would you have fixed that lever? If I hadn't followed you that day in the jungle, how would you have saved the others from a bloodbath? If I hadn't pretended to be Whippa, how would you have escaped in time to stop the missiles?"

"Centuries upon centuries, travelling time and space without you, Rose, and I've managed just fine. I would've come up with a solution. I always do," he snarked.

"Yeah, fine. Maybe you don't need me specifically, but you need someone by your side. Someone who's not afraid to risk their life to help others."

"I don't want you to risk your life!" he shouted. "I sent you to Pete's World for a reason, Rose."

"And look how well _that_ turned out," she said, letting some attitude into her voice.

He flinched at her words, shoulders slumping and face guilt stricken. "I had the best of intentions. Only wanted to protect you," he mumbled, more to his feet than to her. "Still do. But, how can I? You constantly put yourself in situations where you rely on luck to save you!"

"Me? Really?" she scoffed. "Sounds more like you. You rely on luck all the time, Doctor."

"I can afford to! I don't die, I regenerate, but you only have one life, Rose. Don't waste it! Maybe it's time to-"

"'Waste it'?! I'm spending it on making a difference!"

He didn't seem to have heard her, or he chose not to, because he kept talking. "-take you home. Well, you don't have one anymore, but I have money. I could buy you a place, and you could make a life on Earth, find a husband, settle down, live a safe life, do the human thing."

She stared at him incredulously, mouth hanging open. "Excuse me?"

"I'm just saying," he said, still not looking her in the eye.

"Free will. Heard of it? Must have something about it in that enormous brain of yours. We're pretty keen on it, us humans. You showed me that even someone like me can make a difference in the universe. It's the greatest gift anyone has ever given me." She pressed her lips together as tears formed in her eyes, looking like she needed a few seconds to rein in her emotions. "Don't you dare try to take that away from me! You're right. I only have one life, and it's my choice what I do with it." Sliding her hand down his arm until she reached his, she weaved weaved their fingers together. "You already know that I made my choice a long time ago," she said, voice so soft.

The Doctor finally looked up at Rose. She met his heated gaze without wavering and just like that the atmosphere changed, turning into feverish tension. They were entranced by each other and, scared of ruining the moment, Martha stood rooted to the spot, barely breathing. This was it. This would change everything. Years of pent-up passion would finally come to a close and evolve into something profound. Martha could feel it in every fiber of her being and, even though she had decided to let her love for the Doctor go, she still felt a small pang of envy deep in her stomach. She closed her eyes, knowing that the kiss these two had been waiting for for so long, was not for her to see.

However, instead of hearing soft, wet noises of lips and tongues, rapid breaths and rustling of clothes as they embraced, she felt someone quickly walking past her and out of the infirmary. Opening her eyes, Martha saw Rose sagging on the stretcher, face scrunched up and eyes full of tears.

Martha rushed to her. "Rose, are you alright?"

"Yeah, just hurts," she whimpered.

"I'm sorry..."

Rose chuckled mirthlessly. "Running barefoot in the woods at night really does a number on you, yeah?"

"What happened?" asked Martha, not in the mood to brush away what had almost taken place.

"Nothing." Rose sighed heavily. "Nothing at all."


	12. Almost Kissing

Rose was grateful as Martha, knowing how to take a hint, tended to her wounds in silence and used all of the amazing instruments and machines the Doctor had to expedite the recovery. Martha helped her to her room, once she was all patched up, and the very exhausted woman instantly fell asleep. However, in the middle of the night, having been woken up by her full bladder, she went into her en-suite to relieve herself and when she came back out into her bedroom, the Doctor was awkwardly standing by her bed.

"Oh, hi. Is it morning already?" she asked, since the Doctor had the daily habit of always bouncing into her room to wake her up.

"No. The TARDIS told me you were awake. Was just going to check up on you. How you feeling?"

"Sore, but fine. Martha did a good job."

"Mm." The Doctor nodded. "Yes, she's good in a pinch, she is, that Martha." He shuffled a little on the spot.

"Yeah... Doctor. Listen. I just need to get this out there." Stiffening, he averted her eyes and it made her halt a little. "All right?"

"Ehm, yeah."

"'Kay." She fiddled a little with the hem of her vest top. "What I said earlier, about you not taking away my choices, I was serious about that. I'm here 'cause I want to be and I know what this life entails by now. The risks, the dangers, the rewards. And I know you're really ancient," she said, hoping to lift the mood a little and she could see his lips curling slightly upwards, "and I must seem like such a child. But on my planet, I'm an adult. I get that it must be frustrating, 'cause you've seen it all and know everything and whatever. But my mistakes are mine to make, yeah? So no more coddling or sending me away for my own good, all right?"

"Rose. I wasn't going to..." He rubbed his neck, looking up at the ceiling. "I never meant that... What I mean to say is, I just, er... Oh, I was just scared. You know that. This-this is your home now. It is. The TARDIS."

She bit her lip and padded up to him, swaying a little as she tried to catch his eye. "Yeah?"

"Yes."

"Promise?"

"Yes. For as long as you want."

Smiling, she wrapped her arms around him and snuggled into his chest. "Forever."

"So you say," he said, voice tender, stroking her hair.

She pulled back so she could look up at him, face and voice earnest as she said: "I do. And I mean it."

He nodded, still looking a little worried. "Rose, is this...does it...it doesn't hurt, does it? The hugging?"

"No." She let her hands rest over his hearts, happily sighing as she felt comforting, familiar thumps. She would gladly stay like that forever. "Never does, hugging you."

"It's just..." He ran his fingers lightly over her arms and his eyes over her cheeks. Thanks to the marvellous medical equipment in the infirmary, the bruises were faded, closer to blueish green than blackish purple. "Rose, I…ehm…I'm really..." Guilt was written clearly in his features as he fumbled around for the words to form an apology.

Reaching up, she brushed his fringe out of his eyes. "S'not your fault, Doctor." He looked like he was about to protest, so she said: "And about you being a git… I forgive you. Just try not being such a git in the future, yeah?" She tilted her head and smiled sweetly at him, tongue darting out to quickly moisten her lips, and her hands went back to their new favourite spot over his hearts.

"I will," he said seriously, and her smile grew warmer.

He didn't smile back but she saw something in his dark, brown depths that gave her a swooping feeling in her stomach and his hands drifted down to the small of her back, holding her close. She didn't want to scare him away so she kept completely still and looked into his eyes, letting her feelings and consent shine through. He leaned in a little closer, lips slightly parted and eyes almost hooded, as hers fluttered close. His breath hit her skin and his lips were so close she could feel that unearthly Time Lord energy vibrating from them, tickling her own. Her breath hitched in anticipation, her heart thrummed against her ribs and then his lips finally touched her.

On the apple of her cheek.

Oh.

She released the breath she was holding, muttering a string of curses in her head as the Doctor pulled back emotionally as well as physically. Shoving his hand into his bottomless pockets, he whipped something out and beamed at her as though nothing had just almost happened. Bouncing on the balls of his feet, he created space between them by proudly holding up a bunch of papers. She had always let him use his enthusiasm about whatever as his shield but tonight it was hard, really hard, to play along. There was no doubt in her mind that he could tell, but she knew what would happened if she pushed too hard. It would only backfire.

So, playing by his rules, she sat down on the bed, smiled and said: "What's that, then?"

"I stole the files from the launch base and I've figured out how they got the technology." He looked like he wanted her to stand up and applause, but she just urged him to go on by waving her hand and raising her eyebrows. "Found a name that stuck out like a sore thumb, ran him through the system-"

"You have a system?"

"No. Well, yes, many systems, but no. I have access to the Judoon's criminal records and I found a match. Hugo Drax." Nodding happily, he looked expectantly at Rose.

"Okay, is that supposed to ring any bells?"

"Rose Tyler! Are you telling me, you're unfamiliar with the main antagonist of Moonraker?"

"Moonraker... That's James Bond, yeah? Who's he, then? The one with the teeth?" she said, baring hers with a big grin; however, there was no twinkle in her eye and her tongue was firmly in place instead of between her teeth. "He's not real, is he?"

The Doctor looked almost offended. "Honestly, Rose. No, the fellow you're thinking of is Jaws, played by-" He frowned, dismissing the topic. "Doesn't matter, back to the point. Hugo Drax is one of the many aliases of former Time Agent and intergalactic nuisance Jason Hunt. He jumps around in time and space, wreaking havoc and messing with history, just for the fun of it."

"Wow, what a moron. Are we going after him, then?"

"I wouldn't even know where to start. I've contacted the Judoon and given them all the information I have. But I suppose..." He used his sonic screwdriver to project an image of a ruggedly handsome man in his forties with a square jaw, cleft chin, large nose and dark, brown eyes under a mop of black curls. "This is what he looks like. Suppose we could keep 'em peeled. I'll show Martha in the morning." He shoved the sonic and the files back into his pockets again, letting his hands stay as well, safe behind the pinstriped fabric. "Well, you need you rest, and all that."

He walked to the door between their rooms and, putting his hand on the handle, turned his head towards her. "Rose..."

There it was, the look, the one he gave her last time she got too close. That time she hadn't known _this_ him that well and she hadn't understood what he meant. She had dared to think that they had actually taken one step forward, only to realise it was two steps back with her falling flat on her bum as a result.

"Yeah?" she said brightly to hide her disappointment.

"I'm glad you're safe. Good night."

"Good night."

She stared at the closed door for a long time, almost wishing he would make it disappear this time so she had a tangible proof that he would start distancing himself from her. It was still there as she fell asleep, though, and it was still there when she woke up the next morning-and that just made her annoyed. 

* * *

The Doctor had always seemed to enjoy spending time with her but he'd also kept his distance. However, after his regeneration that changed and suddenly it seemed as though he never wanted to be alone. He would fly into her bedroom each morning and wake her up as soon as she'd had eight hours, complaining about humans and their need for sleep. He acted as though he was unable to stand another second without her and that he became bored when left on his own. She reckoned he always needed an audience, since he could never keep himself from also holding a lecture about whatever he was doing.

Not this morning, though, and she wasn't surprised. She had lived through this before, after all, and she could do it again. Dragging herself to the shower, she looked back on the night when they were attacked by the Krillitanes.

* * *

Rose far from happy when Sarah Jane suggested that Mickey and Rose could share the guest bedroom. Her polite smile was stiff but, as soon as she saw the two beds separated by a nightstand, she relaxed a little. However, after getting ready for bed in a borrowed tee and a pair of shorts, she still went back downstairs to the sofa where the Doctor was supposed to sleep. Apparently he hadn't slept for almost two weeks and needed a little kip, as he put it.

Just a few hours earlier, he had almost told her that he loved her. Or, if she was being honest and not in wishful-thinking-mode, he had hinted at him loving at all. The _'you'_ that withered and died didn't have to be Rose. He could have meant companions or humans in general, really, but the intensity, his glossy eyes, his tone, the '_not you_'… It made her dare to hope and, afraid to send him the wrong signals, she really didn't want to share rooms with Mickey-especially not since the Doctor hadn't seen the room and didn't know about the two beds.

She found him sitting on the sofa in his shirtsleeves, reading something and twirling the sonic between his fingers but, as soon as he heard her coming, he put it down and turned to her with a smile.

He patted the seat next to him. "Can't sleep?"

She shrugged. "Yeah, you know."

Sitting down beside him, closer than needed in the three seat sofa but not so close that they were touching, she asked him about his companions. Well, assistants, fellow travellers, friends, or whatever he wanted to call it. He complied, in his Doctor way, by telling her all kinds of anecdotes about his adventures with people like Ace, Adric, Peri-and Sarah Jane of course. Although he didn't tell her who they were to him or how he had felt about them, she didn't ask. The fact that he was actually opening up to her that much was enough and she wouldn't ruin the moment by trying to find out if she was just another one in a long line or if she really was special to him.

The sound of his voice soothed her and, as she grew increasingly sleepy, his arm found its way around her. She leaned her head against his shoulder, feeling their thighs press together. They were laughing and then they were yawning and then they had both apparently fallen asleep. The next thing she knew, she was woken by a noise.

Still feeling too tired to open her eyes, all of Rose's other senses took in the situation. She could feel the sun shining through the windows, which meant it was morning, and she wasn't sitting up anymore. Neither was the Doctor. No, he was on his back and she was wedged in between him and the backrest; her head was pillowed on his shoulder; her fingers had nestled their way through the gaps between his shirt buttons, touching his skin; one of his hands lay on her naked thigh, holding her leg in place over his hips; the other hand was curled around her waist; and his face was turned against her, lips resting against her forehead, nose buried in her hair.

She burrowed her face into his chest to breathe him in, feeling exhilarated by lying so close to him. Whilst their hands so often were entangled, their bodies had never been and this was the first time they had ever lain like this and she was savouring it. However, as she heard the noise repeated, the butterflies in her stomach turned into heavy lumps because she realised what it was: Sarah Jane clearing her throat.

Shit!

Rose felt like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar, even though she hadn't done anything wrong, but she was in someone else's home. A someone who was cocking an eyebrow and giving her a pointed look, tapping her wrist watch. Rose tried to scramble to her feet but the still sleeping Doctor gripped her tightly, effectively holding her in place. He mumbled something in his sleep about 'staying' and 'comfy' and 'Rose', and then his hand slipped under the hem of her top, splaying across her back, thumb brushing her skin. He hummed contentedly at the contact and her cheeks burned crimson as Sarah Jane's jaw dropped.

She knew the Doctor would definitely _not_ approve of this, had he been awake, and felt panic rising within her; therefore, she said his name rather loudly and nudged him in the chest. He blinked owlishly at her as he came to.

A sluggish and adorable smile spread across his face. "Hello."

Rose was so besotted with him she couldn't help but beam back, completely forgetting Sarah Jane for a second. "Hello."

However, as the other woman cleared her throat for the third time, the fog in the Doctor's mind seem to clear as well because he was wide awake in an instant. Sitting up quickly, he gave her _that look_ and, whilst she knew it was significant, she couldn't figure out quite what he meant by it. For all she knew, it could just as well have been 'we'll resume this later' as 'we'll never discuss this ever again'. He then put an appropriate amount of distance between himself and her; a distance he kept for quite some time after that. It was big enough for him to be able to cram in Mickey as well as a French courtesan between them to make sure that Rose didn't shimmy back to his side.

The night after Reinette, when Mickey was finally sleeping in his room, Rose wanted to check if the Doctor was all right but, as she tried to go through the door between their rooms, she realised it was locked for the first time since it appeared. She didn't check it after that, since she couldn't take being denied access again, but the night Mickey stayed behind in the parallel universe the Doctor stepped through to comfort her and they had slowly found their way back to status quo.

* * *

Rose got out of the shower, wrapped herself in her dressing gown and padded out to her room, glaring at the door. She felt mocked by its presence, knowing that she wasn't welcome through it until he got over their latest close call. Last time, Mickey looked like he was having such fun watching them dance around each other. They still bantered and exchanged the obligatory saved-the-day hug and were friendly towards one another. Very friendly. Too friendly. Not friendly enough. She couldn't stand doing that again and having Martha as an audience. Luckily, Rose lived in an enormous, sentient time ship and spending most of her TARDIS-time alone for a couple of days wouldn't be too hard. 

* * *

During the week after the stupid planet and the kisses that never took place, the Doctor was shutting Rose out. Granted, he treated her well enough so, had you no knowledge of how they usually acted around each other, you would most likely assume that they were really good friends. However, all those wonderful Doctor-and-Rose moments were gone and, even though she had known it was coming as soon as his lips at hit her cheek, she felt surprised because she had never lost hope.

There had been many almost-kisses during their travels but this one stood out from all the rest. She remembered every one of them and enjoyed replaying them in her mind, letting her imagination take its course. They were all born from joy. There had been so many times were they laughed and joked and he leaned in closer only to duck his head at the last minute or, perhaps, quickly turn around or just pull her in for a hug. He had a knack for always making it seem as though he had never intended on kissing her in the first place and, come to think of it, maybe he never had. She still didn't know if she was just gifted with a very good imagination.

She was in Pete's World when it, for the first time, had dawned on her that perhaps these moments weren't as much about him loving her as it was about him being lonely. She was feeling so alone and sad and Mickey had been there. Loyal, kind and harmless Mickey. She loved him but Rose had never been _in_ love with him. Not really and never passionately. He'd been there, he'd adored her and he'd been sweet. At that point in her life, it had been enough because she had needed someone and she had needed the validation; however, that changed when she met the Doctor and realised there was so much more to life than what she previously had believed. After being trapped in Pete's World for a while, but not before she knew that she was physically hurting people, she sought comfort in Mickey's arms one particularily lonely night. However, his kisses only made her feel numb and she had left him before anything else had happened, feeling sick to her stomach over how she used him to fill up the Doctor shaped hole in her heart.

She couldn't help but think that this was what she was to the Doctor; someone he loved and appreciated, but didn't feel passionately about; someone who was just _there_ and available when he was feeling lonely; someone who adored him and gladly would give herself to him. Maybe that was the real struggle? Him needing comforting arms but not wanting to hurt her or use her-because he knew. He had known all along, even before Bad Wolf Bay, of that she was certain. She wasn't a Time Lord and she couldn't hide her feelings.

Neither could Martha.

Just like last time Rose had gotten a bit too close, the Doctor had been friendly and fun. Always running about, joking, acting silly and talking a mile a minute. However, this time he didn't have a Mickey or a Reinette; so, he had divided his attention evenly between her and Martha and it was obvious she was still feeling something for him. Seeing her friend light up whenever the Doctor flirted with her, made Rose realise that she wasn't the only one getting hurt. She remembered how Martha had talked about the Doctor at Canary Wharf and she decided that maybe it was time that the two women were more open with one another.


	13. Promise

The Doctor needed to tend to some business on a planet where humans couldn't breathe, so Rose took the opportunity for some girl talk in the galley using the excuse that she wanted to bake chocolate biscuits. She knew that menial tasks always seemed to help people talk, so she reckoned it was a good idea. Maybe it was a bit sneaky of her but, if she'd learned one thing at Torchwood, it was that being sneaky very often gave you results. Also, being able to eat some biscuit dough during their chat, well, who in their right mind would say no to that?

"I really appreciate this," said Rose, as Martha gave her some pointers in how to best knead the dough. "Mum never had time to teach me. She worked a lot, 'cause my dad... Well, he died when I was a baby. And I never could figure it out on my own. I'm rubbish at all this." She waved her hands about, pointing at the different appliances. "Can make a decent cuppa, but that's it."

"I'm sorry. About your dad..."

"Yeah. S'alright. The Doctor took me to see him before he passed, so I have a few memories of him now." Rose stopped what she was doing for a minute. "Was amazing, actually. Then-me was just a baby, yeah, but dad knew me anyway. Like, he trusted me and was drawn to me and he figured it out. He saw that I was his Rose! And he...he loved me. My dad loved me."

She proceeded to tell Martha about that day with the reapers and the church and how she had messed up. "And," she said, as she finished her story, "he sacrificed himself to save everyone, to save the world. And, funny thing. When we went to the parallel world, that version of my dad was working to overthrow an evil scientist and save the world. He is such an amazing man. Brave, kind and smart."

Martha smiled. "Apple doesn't fall far from the tree, then."

When Rose was off, running for her life, she rarely thought about her family; however, when she was still, inside the TARDIS, she really missed her family-her mum in particular-and thinking about them now made her tear up. She blinked a few times to clear the moisture from her eyes. "Yeah?"

"Definitely. He must be so proud of you."

"Hope so. Thanks, Martha." She grabbed a rolling pin and started flattening the dough, beaming. "Your parents must be so proud of you, too. Being a doctor, and everything."

"I'm not a doctor yet, but, yeah. They are."

"We're so different… Our lives, I mean, the way we grew up, our backgrounds. Only thing we have in common was meeting the Doctor whilst we were working, it seems. What was it like on the moon? You never really said. Bet it was amazing!"

"It was!"

Martha told Rose all about the first meeting on the street where the Doctor had removed his tie and how she, a few hours later, had met him as the patient John Smith, found out he had two hearts and so on. However, as she came to the genetic transfer, she got very vague and acted flustered and that made Rose curious.

"What d'you mean, 'a genetic transfer'?"

Martha seemed to try very hard at looking aloof. "He needed me to register as human with non-human traces."

"So, what, he licked your cheek, or something?"

"Yeah, or something," Martha mumbled, shifting a little.

"He kissed you, didn't he? You said he kissed you once, when we met." Rose shook her head at the clueless alien. "Just like him, doing something like that to someone he just met."

"Oh. Yeah." Martha blushed. "But he told me it didn't mean anything, so... Did you two ever have 'a genetic transfer'?"

"Nah," Rose said, laughing, and pinching off some of the dough for a taste. "Well, yeah, I guess. We've kissed twice. Once 'cause it saved my life, and that's a very long story I'll tell you another time. Oh, d'you know what he said?" Giggling, she tried to sound as much as her first Doctor as she could. "'I think you need a Doctor'-and then he kissed me."

Martha's eyebrows shot up. "You're not serious. That's the cheesiest thing I've ever heard."

"No, he did," Rose assured her, and Martha joined in on the giggling. "But he is a little bit cheesy, isn't he? And the other time I basically forced myself on him. Well, technically it wasn't me. I was possessed."

"Again?"

Smiling, Rose shook her head. "Same time. Bloody Cassandra grabbed his head and snogged him with my body."

"Whoa. At that point, were you in...well...were you...close?"

Rose fiddled with her hoop earring, looking firmly at her work. She talked about her feelings for the Doctor at grief counselling in Pete's World, but she had never really discussed it with anyone else. Maybe that was a bit strange, come to think about it, since she never was one to hide her emotions nor had any problem telling the other people in her life that she loved them. However, it was as though that word was prohibited around the Doctor; something she had accepted without ever questioning it. She had only used it that one time on the beach and that was because she couldn't stand the thought of him travelling, all alone, without knowing that he was loved.

"Well, yeah," she finally said. "At that point we'd known each other for over a year. We were definitely close."

"Did you ever talk about it? I mean, it must've been..." Martha gestured vaguely.

Raising her eyebrows, Rose gave Martha an amused look and resumed her work. "What do you think?"

"Yeah, alright. Guess you didn't." Martha laughed a little. "What did it feel like?"

"It was..." Rose put down the biscuit cutter she was using and leaned against the counter, thinking.

She had been shocked and scared at first, prepared for the Doctor to shove her body away and, as the kiss went on without him reciprocating, she had been more than a little offended. She reckoned he must have believed it was all her, since he didn't stop her and she really couldn't see him letting her do that if he suspected someone was controlling her. However, as Cassandra had released him with a loud mwah, he'd been completely dazed and one didn't look like that unless one was affected… At the end of the day, though, it wasn't what she wanted. Not like that. She felt cheated and used.

"It was dreadful. And a little bit...dunno. Confusing. Don't recommend having your body taken over by a snog-happy flap of skin."

"Trust me. Not planning on it. So...where those the only times? Just those two?"

"Yeah."

Martha looked disbelievingly at her. "Come off it. Really? The way he talked about you-"

"Yeah, about that… Why did you think I was his ex? 'Cause you thought it was me, didn't you?"

"Well, yeah. I asked where his crew was, and he said he sometimes travelled with friends. And then he mentioned you and said you were together and that I wasn't replacing you."

"He said that? 'Together'?" Martha nodded. "We were never like that."

Martha chuckled. "I find that a bit hard to believe, to be honest. I mean, the way you two act..."

"You're not the first to say that." Rose sighed, but then she chuckled as she remembered her mother's reaction as she finally realised there was no shagging going on in that blue box. Jackie had looked relieved as well as surprised and she was very vocal about it. "Even my mum thought that we... Wasn't until she accidentally got onboard, and I showed her my bedroom that she got it. No one ever believes me when I say we're not like that. They just don't get how we could live together for years without anything ever happening."

"But, c'mon. The two of you, under the same roof and in constant life-or-death situation for over two years? Yeah, I don't get it, either."

Starting to get a little tired of repeating herself, Rose shrugged and sighed. "Don't know what to tell you. We're just not like that."

Martha knitted her brow. "Hm. Maybe it's a Time Lord thing, then. Or is it just him that's a bit slow?"

Rose snorted. "I've seen him with women he's fancied, and he sure didn't waste any time with them." She regarded Martha for a moment. "Can I ask you something? Not trying to be rude, or anything, but..."

"Yeah, sure."

"What he said, about us being 'together', was it before or after the genetic transfer?"

"After. Why you ask?"

"S'just...I've been thinking about his deflection tactics, yeah? Did you, by any chance, think that maybe that kiss was more than just a genetic transfer? I mean, you seemed to, when we talked that day."

Martha looked a bit abashed. "Well. He said it didn't mean anything, but he flirted and it was a _really_ good kiss. Didn't feel like just some transfer. So, yeah, I might've flirted back." She ducked her head, mumbling: "Thought he was asking me out on a date."

"'Course you did. Who wouldn't? He's sending mixed signals all the time!" She hesitated, knowing this was a sensitive subject, but decided it needed to be said. Martha deserved to know that he wasn't playing with their feelings; he was just scared and thoughtless. "See, I think he used me as a buffer, even though I wasn't even there. He insinuated that he was hung up on someone, so you'd know he wasn't available even though he flirts. 'Cause he loves to flirt. Can't help himself, I think. Did the same thing to me once. Well, not the same, exactly, but he invited my ex-boyfriend to travel with us, 'cause we were getting too close. I was...well...I said..."

She felt her cheeks grow warmer, thinking about how naïve she'd been and how immaturely she'd behaved when they met Sarah Jane. "We ran into one of his old companions, and I overreacted a little. Didn't know it had been others, so it was a bit of a shock realising I wasn't as special as I had thought."

"But...you _are_! He mentioned you all the time. Really rubbing it in that I wasn't you." She paused, looking like she wasn't sure if she should continue before saying: "Almost hated you for a while. He was always going on and on, like, 'Oh, Rose loved this place' and 'Rose always figured things out' and..." Martha shrugged. "Made you sound perfect."

Rose laughed, wincing at how hollow it sounded. "Nah. Was just a shield. I'm not special to him. Well, not in _that_ way, anyway. He's just comfortable with me, 'cause I know where the line is drawn. He's trained me well." She winked at Martha. "I know when a hug is wanted, that a kiss never is, that he just needs a hand to hold… It allows him to be relaxed with me. You'd just met him, so you didn't know that he's oblivious about human signals. He's really fit and mysterious, he kissed you and he asked you to come away with him. Of course you thought he was into you. Anyone would've."

"Yeah, I did at first, yeah. Thought that something would eventually happened between him and me, I did. But then I saw him with you and I realised he's never even noticed me like that. I've tried to get over him ever since. It's hard, but I'm getting there. I am."

Martha looked like she was trying to convince herself as much as Rose and Rose's heart ached for her friend. She couldn't help who she loved. Neither of them could.

"There's only you for him. He loves you," Martha added.

"I know he does. But not like that."

"Rose, I'm telling you-"

"No."

"Maybe he's just not sure how you feel. He's rather daft, after all."

Memories of that windswept, cold beach flooded Rose's mind. Oh, he knew. She didn't say anything, however, she just kept cutting the dough.

"Why don't you just tell him?"

"I'm not here 'cause I want the Doctor to be my boyfriend," Rose stated, sounding more defensive than she had intended.

Martha looked flustered. "S-sorry, I didn't mean-"

"No, s'alright. I'm sorry." Rose sighed and rubbed her forehead, accidentally leaving a smudge of flour on her skin. "I'm not upset with you. I'm just saying, that's not why I'm here. The Doctor taught me a better way of living my life. He showed me that even someone without her A levels could save the world. I go wherever the Doctor goes, yeah, but it's not 'cause I can't live without him or that I can't make a change on my own. I can, I know that now. I just prefer not to. And he needs me. He needs a constant, a hand to hold, and I can be that for him. 'Cause we both know, that if we have to choose, then we choose to save the universe and we'll go down fighting, together. But that is all this is."

Martha opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed it again.

"What?"

"Uhm." Martha licked her lips, looking nervous. "When we were on that chauvinistic planet, he wanted to... I had to stop him from going after you instead of stopping the missiles."

Rose swallowed. "Really?"

"Yeah. He got very upset and started yelling and... Well, I'm sorry, I didn't do it 'cause I didn't want him to save you, of course I wanted you safe. But I told him we had to think of the missiles first."

"Good. You stood up to him, and thanks to you a lot of people were saved. That's good."

"He was just so... Can't explain it. But when he got like that, I really had to fight not to doubt myself and just do what he wanted me to. He was so angry and, well, mean, to be honest."

"I'm sorry you had to take that." Rose gave Martha's hand a quick squeeze. "Look, he says he's rude in this body, but I think he's always been. Arrogant and rude, 'cause how could he not be? He's one of the most powerful beings in the universe. That's gotta cloud your judgment, yeah? S'why we're here, though. We stop him from going too far. We challenge him and we show him that he's not omnipotent. You did good. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, I know. I do know that. But it was so hard, it was! I've told him off before, but never when he was all Oncoming Storm against me. Never been so scared in my life! Felt like he could kill me with his brain or something! But you-you were bruised and battered and exhausted and he directed all that fury at you... Anyone else would've broke but not you. You were calm, made it look easy. Everything you've been through… It's like nothing can break you." Martha looked impressed.

"Oh, I break down."

Martha snorted. "What, 'cause you cried that one time? No, you don't break."

"Maybe, dunno...I'm sure there's something that would break me." Rose laughed. "But not the Doctor. I trust him more than anyone. S'just... He was angry that night, but that's just 'cause he was scared and felt guilty and helpless. And he hates that. The Doctor, powerless..." She shook her head and shrugged. "He's big-headed for a reason, you know. Always the smartest man in the room. He figures out the solution before you realise there's even a problem. Others notice what he's like, so they turn to him. Doesn't matter where or when we are; everyone always does what he tells them to."

"You don't."

"No, I do. When it's needed. I hear it in his voice or see it in his eyes and I know it's serious. But I'm never obedient just for the sake of it. And you shouldn't be, either. But I have a feeling you're not."

"Maybe not," Martha admitted. "But I do trust his judgment. Well, most of the time, anyway."

"So do I. But at times, it's like he doesn't have that thing us humans have. You know, that instinct that tells us what the right thing to do is. Sometimes it feels like I'm the heart to his brain, if that makes any sense. So, he needs us. We're important, we keep him balanced."

Martha nodded thoughtfully. "When he invited me to a trip, he did it as thanks, 'cause I helped him. And then another and another. And I thought that was what it's like, I did. He invites you for a laugh, and if you're good enough, he keeps you. But that's not it, is it?"

"Nooo." Rose laughed. "Deep down, he knows he can't be on his own, I think. And it's not just 'cause he'd be lonely. He'd-he'd be dangerous, too."

"Yeah, suppose I never realised how close to the edge he is sometimes. He really scared me that night, he did."

"But you still stood your ground."

"Yeah, I did, didn't I." Martha looked proud of herself. "And so did you."

"Yeah, the day I don't, that's the day I can't stay with him anymore. And I'm planning on staying forever." Rose grinned. "So, I think it's time to shove these into the oven, yeah? And then I definitely need some lunch." 

* * *

Rose wanted to be alone for a little while after lunch, so she went to her room and threw herself on the bed, pulling out the photo album from the drawer in her nightstand. Flipping through the pages, she lingered at the ones with photos of her, her old Doctor and Jack. It had been easier back then in a lot of ways. She might not have been as physical with her first Doctor but he wasn't as guarded with his feelings as the current incarnation and, in a way, she felt closer to him emotionally. She actually saw him tear up, even cry, on several occasions. Granted, that version was really scared of getting too close-like the time he 'resonated concrete' just to avoid dancing with her-but he did at least seemed consistent to her.

Her current Doctor, on the other hand, seemed to crave physical contact with her, but there was always an invisible wall, controlled by the Doctor alone, between them. He moved it around as he saw fit; it confused her and sometimes she got so tired of it.

She ran her fingers over Jack and her first Doctor's faces. "I miss you. Both of you. Simpler times, yeah?"

"Still?"

Sighing, she turned around and glared at the Doctor, who had managed to sneak into her room unheard. Not even the fact that is hands were full of biscuits made her feel more positive about his intrusion. "Did you want something?"

Ignoring her question, he said: "Do you really? Miss me. Old me, I mean. Daft-old-face me."

"Yeah. Sometimes. Is that all right?"

He smiled and nodded, but it looked a bit wistfully. "'Course. Think I would be offended it you didn't." He frowned. "But at the same time..."

"I missed this you, too, when I was away."

His face lit up. "Really? Good. And I..." He swallowed and flipped a biscuit in the air before catching it and shoving it into his mouth. "I think I like Martha's influence on you. S'really good, this."

"Oh, you do, do you? You like me being a domestic, little human?"

He shuddered. "Don't use that word, Rose. It's nasty. But, yeah, if it means I get chocolate biscuits and banana bread on a regular basis, I suppose I could stand you being a bit like that."

"You're tempting fate, you are. I'll convince the TARDIS to litter this place with doors and carpets and things."

The Doctor harrumphed. "There's no such thing as fate. Unless you mean the _planet_ Fate, which very much exists. Although, it's a rather vile place and one should never go there. Unless you're in the mood for the best shish kebab on this side of Capp Blipp Topp. Well, I say shish kebab but it's really called joupla. But it's essentially the same thing. Only much, much better." He ate another biscuit, humming happily as he chewed. "Still. Best avoid Fate."

"Okay, I will. But with you driving I bet we'll end up there as soon as tomorrow." She flashed him her Rose Tyler grin.

"Oi! It's not easy driving a ship meant for six pilots. I'm brilliant at it, considering. And not considering! I'm brilliant either way. And if you keep this attitude up, I'm not sharing my biscuits."

"_Your_ biscuits? Didn't see you in the galley when I and Martha were making them."

"My ship, my biscuits."

"So, anything in the TARDIS is yours, then?"

"Of course!"

"Even m-" Biting her lips, she quickly swallowed that vowel. She couldn't say that. That was too flirty. Rose tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. "Did you come in here for a specific reason or are you just on a crumb spreading mission?"

A mischievous grin spread across the Doctor's face.

"Oh, no. No, no, no. What are you planning?" she asked, eyes wide with horror.

The Time Lord hurled himself on her bed, nibbling quickly on the biscuits like a little squirrel, making sure Rose herself as well as her sheets were full of crumbs.

"You're a menace, you are!" she shrieked, hitting him in the head with her pillow. "Stop it!" She gave him another whack, which he skillfully avoided whilst beaming at her and spreading even more crumbs. "Why, you little…!" She pushed him off the bed.

"Ow." The Doctor pouted, looking up at her with puppy eyes. "All my biscuits are on the floor now."

"You're such a baby. C'mere then," she said, holding her hand out to him. "But you're changing my sheets later."

"Do I have to?"

"Yep. Gotta learn that your actions have consequences sometime, Doctor."

"I learned that a long time ago," he mumbled.

She gasped. God, she was so stupid sometimes. "I'm sorry. Wasn't thinking," she whispered, grabbing his hand and brushing his thumb with hers. "I'm really sorry."

"It's okay. I'm fine, Rose. And yes, I did have a reason for coming here. We've landed. Got a tip about Hunt being in this pub, Plasma 12 it's called. Really skeevy place. Weeell, the whole planet is, so I want you to keep close."

"Wow, you're letting me come?" she said, sticking out her tongue at him.

"Yeah." He gave her a stern look, pointing at her. "And don't make me regret it."

She folded her arms stubbornly over her chest. "I will promise no such thing!"

He tried to make his look sterner but only ended up laughing, since she was grinning at him like an idiot. "Alright. C'mon, then."

She stilled him by grabbing his arm. "Doctor?"

"Hm?"

"Remember Downing Street? When you asked me what you should do. I would ask you to make the same choice today, you know. If saving the world means you'll lose me, I still want you to choose the world, all right?"

"Rose-"

"Please. Just promise me you will."

Furrowing his brow, he stared at her for several heartbeats. Then he pulled her in for a hug, whispering into her hair: "I promise that I will do everything in my power to avoid _ever_ being put in a situation where I have to choose." He pulled back, all smiles again. "C'mon, don't want to miss Hunt."

She jumped out of the bed and went to her armoire to change out of her jimjams. "Yeah, alright, just wanna cha-" She stopped talking as she noticed that he already had left the room and, sighing, she looked down at the picture of her, her old Doctor and Jack posing in front of a bonfire. "Yeah, definitely simpler times."


	14. Plasma 12

The Doctor was right about Plasma 12. It _was_ a skeevy place. It reminded Rose of a saloon from some western film; the patrons were loud and smelly; lifeforms were punching each other left and right; scantily clad waiters and waitresses of all kinds of species were circling the room; and the floor was sticky from spilled out drinks, blood and, well, she really didn't want to know what else.

Rose and Martha fitted in pretty well in their leather jackets and denims. Granted, they had all of their teeth and had showered lately, but there were at least seven other people like them, as far as she could see. The Doctor, however, did not belong at all and it barely took five minutes before he was in an argument. A purple-skinned alien with eyestalks, claws and fur chaps got very offended by the sight of this pinstriped, bespectacled git. Apparently he didn't think the Doctor was man enough for his two lovely companions and therefore started questioning him.

"Are you the law?" the alien sneered and Rose had to press her lips together not to laugh. "Only way someone like you could ever pull someone like that." He nodded at Martha, waggling his eyestalks and making a rather crude gesture, showing that he obviously knew how humans mated.

"Uhm, no thanks. You're not really my type," said Martha.

"How 'bout you, doll?" He directed his attention to Rose and did something obscene with his tongue.

"Nuh-uh," Rose said, shaking her head.

"You don't even know what I'm packing." The alien thrust his hips towards them and the two women couldn't help but laugh.

Another alien of the same species turned to them and sniffed the air. "My fella here's right, ya know. S'been a while for you two. Can smell it on ya. Maybe the four of us could go somewhere private, huh? Obviously this wuss don't know how to pleasure ladies."

"Beg your pardon!" The Doctor harrumphed. "I am a very proficient lover."

"Then why has it been over six fertile windows for this one, and at least, oh damn, _forty-eight_ for this one without getting a little some-some?" asked the alien, sniffing the air again, making Martha and Rose exchange repulsed looks. "If you're not man enough for servicing your women folk-"

"I am very manly!" the Doctor protested, shoving his hand in front of the alien's face. "Look at all that hair on my manly hairy hand! And once, in my fourth body, I partook in an orgy that..."

Sweeping her eyes over the room, Rose happened to see something unusual and, as much as she wanted to hear the rest of the Doctor's sentence, she turned her full focus to what caught her eyes. Sitting in the back of the bar, was a humanoid, ginger male dressed in an impeccable black suit and with his hair elegantly coiffed. She couldn't help but wonder why he wasn't harassed like the Doctor, but then he turned his head a little and she saw his eyes. They were pale blue and completely devoid of empathy. Shuddering, she shrunk back but she kept looking at the man as someone joined him.

The other was coming from the restroom and he knocked on the tabletop twice with his index finger and then once with his thumb. The first man repeated the sequence and the second sat down. He was also dressed in a black suit, but his was dusty and his messy hair covered most of his stubbled face. However, as he swept his locks out of his eyes and tucked them behind his ears, she saw the familiar face of Jason Hunt.

"Doctor," she whispered.

"Not now, Rose," he said irately, turning back to the purple-skinned alien. "And then I showed the emperor of Pineapple Gamma that the most erogenous zone on a Calliopian isn't in the kneecap at all, even though it would be logical considering their origin. See, it's in the..."

"Doctor!" she repeated, tugging at his sleeve.

Hunt was deep in conversation with the ginger man, who handed him a photo of someone, but she was too far away to see what the person looked like. So, she turned to the Doctor again only to find him still trying his best to prove his brilliance.

"He was so impressed with my theoretical skills that he offered my a teaching position at the School of Enthrallment and Hanky-Panky-which I declined. But I did have a few suggestions on a new name for their establishment..."

Rolling her eyes, Rose grabbed Martha, explained what she was planning to do and asked her friend to keep an eye on her.

Martha looked like she was about to protest, so Rose said: "C'mon, Martha. Look at the Doctor. He'll only draw attention to himself. Lemme just sneak back for a minute."

"All right. I've got your back but be careful."

Rose winked. "I'll try!"

She started circling the room, trying to not seem too obvious as she closed in on the two men in the back. It didn't take her long to get close enough to get a better look at what they were doing. Hunt tucked the photo into his pocket and then the other man pulled out a bunch of navy blue cards covered with a bold golden font. Looking quickly through them, he handed one of them to Hunt. It looked a lot like an invitation to something, to Rose's eyes, but she couldn't be entirely sure from where she was standing. Hunt slid the card into his pocket along with a credit stick given to him by the ginger man. The fact that the transaction had taken place in such an open manner made her shiver, since she was sure it wasn't anything legal. She sure as hell wouldn't mind _never_ returning to Plasma 12 again.

Moving forward to follow Hunt, Rose saw him quickly sneaking through the back entrance and using his vortex manipulator. He dematerialised before the door had shut close. Changing her plan, Rose licked her lips, pinched her cheeks, fluffed up her hair and unbuttoned enough of her top to show a lot of cleavage. She sauntered over to the ginger man, who was finishing his drink whilst typing something into a communication device.

"Hello!" She flipped her hair as she sat down beside him.

The man didn't look up from he was doing. "Not interested."

"How would you know if you don't even look?" she said, leaning forward to show off her breasts.

She knew, as soon as she saw his eyes, that a man like him would never fall for seductive tricks, but he didn't know that she knew that. So, she figured she could act like a fool and pretend she thought she was irresistible, throwing herself at him and making use of the pickpocketing skills she had been taught at Torchwood.

"I don't need to look, peon," he said, nostrils flaring as though she was reeking.

"Maybe touch then?" She hopped up in his lap, nuzzling his neck. The man froze for a couple of seconds, shocked by her audacity, and she used that time to run her hands over his torso. Finding his pocket, she slipped her hand in and plucked a card but, as she pulled out, the man wrapped his fingers around her wrist.

"What do you think you're doing?" he growled.

Still clutching the card, Rose threw it a quick glance and shrugged. "Oh. Whoops. Was going for your credit stick. Can't blame a girl for trying, yeah?"

The man let out a chilly, almost metallic sounding, peal of laughter. "Trying to pickpocket a Hravian? Our reflexes are twice as good as a human's. Oh, you are a stupid little thing. Stop wasting my time."

Snatching the card back, he shoved her off his lap with a disdainful snarl and left the pub.

"Stupid? I don't think so," she muttered, standing up and brushing some dirt off her clothes.

Random ruckus was a common occurrence in Plasma 12, so no one but Martha really paid attention to what took place between Rose and the ginger man, and she was by her friend's side in an instant.

"Rose, are you okay?"

"Yep! Let's go get the Doctor."

He was still talking to the purple-skinned alien so, grabbing his arm, she pulled him away without a word.

"Hey, I was talking to him!"

"No one cares about your sexual conquests, Doctor."

"Oh, Rose. What do you take me for? I was grilling him about Hunt. That whole thing was just a way of getting him to open up. See, he's a Plorg, and it's all about sex with Plorgs-"

She grinned. "I thought it was all about sex with us humans."

"Well, yes, but Plorgs are even worse!" He made a face. "Anyway, I established myself as quite the Lothario, and he-very impressed by my vast knowledge and experience-saw me as a kindred spirit. I gave him some pointers and he offered up some information in return. So, I know very much about Hunt's favourite watering holes and-"

"Yeah, I'm sure. But I happen to know where Hunt _will_ be, not just _might_ be, so hurry up," said Rose, as she and Martha pushed a gruffy looking alien aside so they could keep moving forward through the crowd.

"Really? Then why didn't you say so at once?" He used his Oncoming Storm glare to make the crowd part like the Red Sea for Moses and they were out of there in a matter of seconds.

Rose told them what had happened during their walk back to the TARDIS. The Doctor seemed completely unfazed by the news, so she was sure he wasn't very pleased about her putting herself in danger and was only putting on an act. However, as he didn't say anything about it, she pretended not to notice.

"What did the card say, then?" asked Martha.

"The Inauguration of..." Rose blushed. "Shit. What was it? Lamaxly Plosh...no...Plash-"

"The Inauguration of Llamax Le Phlöusché?" asked the Doctor.

"That's the one!"

The Doctor whistled, looking impressed. "That-that is quite the event, that. Will be hundreds of very important people there. Hunt could be after anyone of them."

"Or more… Didn't you say he had a _several_ invitations, Rose? What if he has meetings like this all over, employing a bunch of mercenaries or kidnappers, or whatever they are?"

"Good point, Martha! Did he say anything else that could be of importance? What did he look like?"

"Well, fancy, red hair," Rose made a swirling gesture over her head, "fair skin, pale eyes, well-dressed. They did this knocking thing, I suppose to make sure they had the right person." She demonstrated the sequence by knocking on her palm. "Oh, and he said he was a, uhm, a Hravian, I think?"

The Doctor's eyes widened. "Oh. That's very bad. That's very, very bad. Le Phlöusché is a Varhian. Varhia and Hravia are twin planets and so, so similar, most people don't even care to distinguish them. So, instead of embracing one another, they turned competitive and have been feuding for millennia. Le Phlöusché is most likely the target, and she has seven children. If they were to be...well, it would end their bloodline."

"They're gonna kidnap _children_?" gasped Martha. "Or-or worse?"

"Well, four of them are adults, but yes, the rest are children."

"We have to stop him before he reaches the other mercenaries!"

"Agreed. Hm. Hravians are likely to hire lone mercenaries, because they think groups can turn on each other and make things very messy. And they sure hate messy. Which probably is the reason why he uses different places to meet them, as well. There are quite a few similar joints in this district-"

"Great," interrupted Rose. "We'll split up-"

"No. Not a chance," said the Doctor.

"But, we'll cover more ground that way."

"No, Rose. I'm not letting you out of my sight in a place like this."

"Actually," Martha piped in, looking apologetically at Rose, "if he sees you again, he'll probably be suspicious. Maybe you'd better wait in the TARDIS. I got a good look at him. I can help the Doctor find him."

"Yes. Very good, Martha. Rose, we're escorting you to the TARDIS and then we'll head out again."

Rose couldn't really argue with the logic, but she wasn't able to stop herself from sulking a little. "Alright," she muttered. "Let's hurry, then." 

* * *

They found him in the second place they looked. He sat alone by the bar, seemingly waiting for someone and ignoring the prostitutes trying to catch his eye. The Doctor sat down on a stool beside him, whilst Martha hovered in the background, trying to look like she belonged.

"Hello," the Doctor happily said, knocking the sequence on the counter with his fingers. "Sorry I'm late."

"You're not," answered the Hravian, knocking as well. "You're early."

"Oh? Never been very good at telling time. So sorry. So, who's the mark, and all that?"

The Hravian narrowed his eyes, inspecting the Doctor and Martha. "Why are you not alone? We never hire groups."

"She's the nanny," the Doctor replied, arrogantly waving his hand at Martha. "Was kids, wasn't it? I'm rubbish with children."

"They are messy little critters, aren't they?" the man said, looking like he had tasted something foul. "You're hired to take care of these three." He gave the Doctor a photo of triplets roughly the age of eleven. "Our sources tell us they'll leave shortly after dinner, so you'll have to be swift."

"Swift is my middle name. First name, Jonathan," the Doctor chirped, waggling his eyebrows.

The Hravian seemed displeased. "Yes. I am familiar with old Earth literature. Very funny," he said, dryly. "Back to business. This is your invitation. You're there as General Zipp. Suppose that one can be your plus one." He barely glanced at Martha but did at least nod once in her direction. "But do clean her up."

"Brilliant! And payment?"

"Half now, half on delivery. As agreed upon," the man answered, giving the Doctor a credit stick. "And remember that the triplets have to be alive and in moderately good condition, at least. A bloody nose, broken wrist or the like is of course fine, but try to avoid violence if you can."

"I'll do my best," said the Doctor curtly. "Very nice doing business with you. Can I buy you a drink? One more for the road, as they say."

"No. I have three more appointments. I'd best be going."

"Bye!" the Doctor said, pressing his fingers against the other man's temple in a swift motion. The Hravian passed out immediately, sagging against the bar counter.

"Martha, a hand, please. We have to carry him out to the TARDIS before the real mercenary gets here."

Putting the man's arms around their shoulders, they managed to drag him out of the bar and the five blocks to the TARDIS without anyone interfering. Not that anyone would've, in that kind of a place. On every street corner, something shady was going on, and the Doctor told her to just keep her head down and walk.

* * *

On some planets the atmosphere, temperature or such, made it impossible for a human to join the Doctor. It didn't happen too often, but there had been times when Rose had been forced to wait for him in the TARDIS. He suggested once that she should wait at her mum's flat but she refused, too afraid that something would happen and he wouldn't come back. Those lonely hours waiting for him, were always the absolute worst. Once, during her second year with him, he was gone for over two days and she hadn't been able to sleep. That's when she had formed the habit of seeking comfort from the time ship, could she not relax on her own.

Rose moved the grating aside and jumped down to curl up against the time rotor. She didn't stop worrying about the Doctor but the gentle thrums reverberated through her body, making her feel safe and loved. It was as though she was being soothed in the warm embrace of a parent. Never before had it occurred to her that she could try to reach out telepathically to the time ship but, as she lay there, hand against the column, she remembered how the TARDIS had guided her to safety on Malkoppioux.

"Can I...? How do I?" she whispered, feeling a familiar nudge behind her forehead. "Do you have a language? Is it Gall-gallifreyan?"

The pitch of the time ship's song lowered.

"No? Then what? Images, emotions?"

The pitch got brighter.

"I see. So, could we communicate-you and me-by thinking of images? Or maybe memories?"

The lights flickered quickly and Rose read it as excitement.

"But how...?" Rose bit her lip, mulling it over. "We have to have the same point of reference. I mean, if you want to say 'mother', will you show me an image of any mother? Or my mum? Or your mum! Do you have a mum? So if I think about my mum and feed you a memory of her, then you could send that image to me, yeah? 'Cause you'd know that I know that you mean mum. Or, wait, you're in my head already. Maybe I don't need to do that. Maybe you have my picture language... Pictorial language? Or visual language? Maybe you already know it and I've just not been listening."

The TARDIS groaned loudly.

"What?" Rose asked, petting the time rotor. "Ooooh, too much? Sorry, was thinking out loud. So, which is it? Do you-"

Hearing the doors open, she quickly jumped up on the grating again. Martha and the Doctor were dragging the Hravian between them, putting him down gingerly on the floor.

"Hello! Er, what were you doing down there."

Rose smiled. "You know, just bonding a little with my girl."

"Okay…" The Doctor gave her a funny look. "Come help us. We need to hurry."

Searching through the Hravian's pockets, he removed the remaining photos, credit sticks and invitations.

"How did it go?" Rose held out her hands, ready to catch whatever else the Doctor found in the man's pockets.

"Good. I took a chance and it paid off. Reckoned, if I were wrong, I'd just make him pass out. He might be Hravian but a Time Lord still has better reflexes."

"Uhm, am I missing something? You've still made him pass out."

"Well, I obviously had to do that either way, but at least now I got some information out of it without having to rummage through his probably abhorrent memories." The Doctor shivered slightly. "He's only met with Hunt, it seemed. Said he had three more appointments, he did. So, I'll plant some false memories in his mind, making him think he's done his job. We can't risk making his employers suspicious."

"The communication device thing!" Rose pointed out. "He was using it after he met with Hunt. He was probably telling his boss everything was going according to plan or something."

"If I plant memories of him meeting with the others, he will use his device to contact his employers, don't worry."

"Why is Hunt doing this, though? Didn't you say he just did stuff like this for fun?"

"Suppose even people like him-or, no, _especially_ people like him-need money. Now, I'd rather do this alone. You lot can go to the wardrobe room and find something fancy to wear." He waved his hands about. "We have a ball to attend."


	15. The Ball

Saving the universe rarely entailed attending black tie events but, when it did, Rose was very grateful that she had access to the best wardrobe room in the universe. Not only did the TARDIS know what all the different dress codes through time and space meant-which Rose absolutely did not-she always picked out the perfect gown for Rose to wear. She also provided with accessories and high heels that actually were comfortable, even if one had to wear them for a whole evening before running for one's life.

Tonight the TARDIS chose a deep pink, sleeveless number with a lot of cleavage for Rose, whilst Martha wore a sparkly, turquoise cocktail dress showing off her toned back and legs. They spent an hour in Rose's en-suite, helping each other getting ready whilst sipping on wine and giggling an awful lot.

"You look amazing!" Martha hung a gorgeous necklace with pale pink gemstones around Rose's neck. "I'm sure the Doctor will agree, too," she added with a wink.

"Nah. He doesn't pay attention to things like that," said Rose, because he really didn't. Well, there was that one time in Cardiff but he never mentioned her looks again.

Every time she entered the console room dressed up to the nines, he just asked her if she was ready, held out his hand for her to take and then they left. A part of her liked it; she knew she was an attractive woman and was used to men being more interested in her body than in her mind; so, knowing that such a remarkable man as the Doctor enjoyed her for who she was, not what she looked like, made her feel special. On the other hand... Well, would it kill him to drool a little, just once?

"But…thanks, Martha." She smoothed out her dress. "You do, too."

"Thanks!"

Martha looked down at the floor as they walked together to the console room. The TARDIS had kindly conjured up a carpet over the grating, so the women's heels wouldn't get stuck. "Wow, gotta love living on a sentient ship."

"You're a smart woman, Martha, flattering the TARDIS. Never get on her bad side," said the Doctor, waiting at the console in his usual dinner jacket and black chucks. The sight of him made Rose's heart flutter but that was something she definitely would keep to herself. She never complimented him either.

Martha held up her hands. "I won't. She hid the loo from me last time, remember?"

"Did she?" Giggling, the Doctor stroked the console proudly. "Well, while you young ladies were off gussying up, I sonicked the Hravian's communication device before dropping him off outside. I was able to read the incoming and outgoing messages between him and his employer-"

"Still don't get why you didn't just read his mind. Can his memories really be that bad?" asked Martha.

The Doctor's gaze turned dark and he clenched his jaw. "Reading someone's mind without consent, _Martha_," he said, and his tone turned harsh at her name, "is quite the violation. Planting false memories was bad as it was... There are some things one just does not do."

"I'm sorry, I didn't realise..." she said, shrinking back a little.

"From his _messages_, I've found out that the man employing our ginger fellow is Bo Stefan. He's one of the richest men on Varhia. So, the question is, why would a Varhian hire a Hravian to hire other people to kidnap, and possibly murder, the children of the future planetary president of Varhia?"

"Uhm, what?" said Rose.

"Exactly! It makes no sense!"

"Maybe Stefan wants them to think a Hravian is behind this?" suggested Martha.

"Yes, but!" The Doctor thrust his finger up in the air. "I have researched Stefan, and he is one of Le Phlöusché's greatest supporters. He financed most of her campaign."

"Huh."

"Huh, indeed!" He nodded. "I have also found out, that Hunt's mark is the eldest daughter of Le Phlöusché's. Her name is Lysandria and she's quite the..." He adjusted his collar, clearing his throat. "Well, let's just say she'd get along really well with Jack."

"Ah," said Rose.

"What?" asked Martha.

"Well, Jack is the type of bloke who shags his way through time and space," Rose told her.

"Ooooh."

"Mm. And since one of Hunt's specialties is seduction, that is how he's supposed to lure her away. Stefan was very specific about not harming her and not following through with the, er, _seduction_," said the Doctor.

"Do you think he fancies her? Like kidnap-and-use-as-sex-slave fancy?"

"Who knows? I say we go to this thing and find out! Are you ready, ladies?" He held out his hand but, as he noticed Rose's necklace, he let it drop to his side. "Where did you get that?"

Her hand flew up to the clasp out of reflex, ready to remove the piece at once. "The TARDIS picked it out for me. Is it...do you want me to take it off?"

"No, it's all right," he said, face blank. "Allons-y!"

* * *

Rose and the Doctor stood with drinks in their hands, watching Martha twirl around the dance floor with none other than Bo Stefan. He was an older gentleman with an impressive walrus moustache and he became entranced by Martha the minute he laid eyes on her.

"Do you know that young woman," an older lady whispered into Rose's ear. "Thought I saw you chatting earlier."

"Yes, I do. That's Martha Jones. She's a very successful singer from Earth," Rose answered, deciding it was best to bend the truth a little.

The lady's eyes widened. "From _Earth_? I've never seen an Earthling in person before." She scooped up the monocle hanging around her neck. "Very pretty, I dare say."

"Yes and, according to my sources, she's looking for a new husband. But I've heard that Stefan fancies Lysandria Le Phlöusché, though. Think he's trying to make her jealous by dancing with the famous Earthling?"

"Ooh, have you? No, I think that's his son, Bux Stefan. They used to be high school sweethearts. Bo is, however, very close to Lysandria's mother. But, did you hear? She never told him about the treaty! He found out the other day from the press conference, just like the rest of us."

"You don't say!" gasped Rose, pretending like she knew exactly what the lady was talking about. "Poor man financed her campaign and everything! He must've been very displeased."

"About not knowing, yes, of course. Who wouldn't be? But as far as I know, he's very pleased about the treaty. I'm amazed that they've managed to keep that under wraps for so long! Le Phlöusché has been working on it for years."

"Must have been quite the shock for Stefan," said Rose, nudging the Doctor in the side to make him pay attention. "Wouldn't you say, Doctor?"

"Hm?" he said, shoving nibbles into his mouth.

"We were discussing the treaty they're signing tomorrow," said the lady. "I'm Lala, and you... Doctor, was it?"

"Pleasure," he said around his food, shaking the woman's hand. "This is Rose." He nodded at his companion. "Wait. What treaty?"

"What do you mean 'what treaty'?" The woman looked at Rose as though she couldn't believe this strange man and, playing her part, Rose mirrored her expression.

"I've been off world for a while," the Doctor explained. "Haven't caught up with politics just yet."

"Oh, I see. You're one of _those_." Lala smiled knowingly. "Well, Le Phlöusché has been working on a top secret project for years to make peace between Varhia and Hravia. They announced it just the other day! The treaty will be signed tomorrow, one hour after the first sun is up."

"Really?" chirped the Doctor.

"Yes, really. Did you not find it strange, Doctor, that there were so many Hravians attending the inauguration?"

"I did, but I'm much too polite to comment on it." Rose snorted loudly at him and he frowned at her. "Oi!"

Ignoring his outcry, Rose turned back to Lala. "Why did they wait so long to announce it, though?"

"They were afraid of trouble, of course. There's always someone who wants to stop peace from happening. I'm not overly fond of Hravians, I have to admit, but it is tiresome with all this squabbling between our two planets. We are neighbours and should be neighbourly!"

"Hear, hear," said the Doctor.

"Her son will be so pleased." The woman pointed at two very handsome men on the dance floor. "See that couple? That's her eldest boy Ugglargh-unfortunate name for such a good-looking lad, but what can you do?-and his boyfriend Mako. Mako is a Hravian film star and you wouldn't believe the death threats poor Ugglargh has received from crazed fans." She pointed at three very large men, wearing earpieces, black suits and sunglasses. "They have to use bodyguards whenever they visit one of their home planets. They live off world, of course."

"Of course."

"This part of the city, and this building in particular, is secured, though, Doctor. Don't you worry. Wouldn't be able to hold this ball, otherwise. But that lovely, young couple can barely make it to their shuttle without incidents!"

"That's awful," said Rose. "Are his siblings affected by this?"

"Fortunately not, I'm glad to say. Such sweet children. The triplets aren't here right now. They were escorted home after dinner. Oh, and Pliaffox is suffering from food poisoning, I hear. So he is home as well."

"_What_?" said Rose, touching her stomach.

"Oh, dear, I didn't mean to frighten you! Not from the inauguration dinner, of course. He was at some Loxiarian place yesterday. Bleefoo rolls, or some such, so really, what did he expect?"

"Indeed. Bleefoo rolls." Rose snorted, shaking her head, and the Doctor smiled fondly at her. "What about the other siblings? Lysandria and... What are the others called? I'm so bad with names."

Lala searched the crowd with her eyes. "Her two other sons are standing over there and Lysandria should be around here, somewhere. She's wearing the most spectacular, yellow frock! So daring! And you should've seen her necklace. The diamonds in that piece could feed a small city for a year. Your jewellery isn't too shabby, either, my dear." Lala lightly touched Rose's necklace. "These gemstones... What are they? They're exquisite."

"I'm...I'm not sure. Doctor?"

"They're Gallifreyan dawn crystals. Very rare."

Rose's head snapped up but he didn't meet her eye.

"Gorgeous! Your husband is spoiling you," Lala said.

"Oh, we're not-" Rose started but got interrupted by some diplomat asking Lala to dance.

"How did you do that?" the Doctor wondered, as they watched the couple glide across the dance floor.

"What?"

"How did you find the most talkative person in this whole place and manage to make her tell you everything we needed to know?"

"Uhm, dunno. Pure luck, I suppose." She shrugged. "She's the one who started talking to me."

The Doctor beamed at her and the warmth in his eyes made her feel all tingly inside but then, much too soon for her liking, he went back to scanning the crowd, sipping on his champagne.

"So... He's trying to end the treaty, yeah, not the bloodline?"

"I would say so, yes."

"That's good, though, right? Means the threat's over once it's signed? So, should we tell someone and then be off?"

"No. This is a delicate matter. We don't want to risk either side knowing about this, in case it makes someone refuse to sign the treaty. We'll take care of it ourselves. If we can find Lysandria," he said, eyes still roaming the room.

"One thing I don't get, though. She's the president, yeah? So why would the bloodline be important?"

"Noble titles are inherited and only nobility can enter official elections."

"Oh, I see," she said, fiddling the necklace she was wearing. He was being uncharacteristically curt and that worried her. "Doctor, are you sure you're okay with me wearing this?"

"Yes."

"Okay, good. So..." she said, running her tongue over her teeth. "Should we move around the room? Dance, maybe?"

"This is an excellent spot, Rose. We see most of the room from here."

"Yeah, 'course," she mumbled, starting to get a bit angry with him. Would it really be so bad if they shared one lousy little dance? Feeling mature as hell, she decided to talk about something that would embarrass him as a revenge for his rejection of her.

She hadn't been able to get the orgy thing out of her mind, especially not since she now knew what his fourth incarnation looked like. Images of a curly haired Doctor-naked, save for a long multicolored scarf-prancing around in a room full of people, writhing and moaning, kept popping up in her head. Since her current Doctor either seemed completely uninterested in sex or got really flustered talking about it, she just couldn't wrap her head around it.

"An orgy, huh?" she said, making sure she had the most angelic expression on her face.

"Sorry?" said the Doctor, looking very confused.

"You said, back at Plasma 12, that you went to an orgy. Didn't really listen that much, since I was actually paying attention to the bloke we were after. But I seem to recall you having extensive knowledge about shagging. Or so you claimed."

The Doctor gasped, staring at her in horror. "_Theoretical_ knowledge!" he squeaked.

"So, you _didn't_ attend the orgy?" she said, just as Martha returned from dancing with Stefan.

Shooting the Doctor and Rose an amused look, Martha patted the Doctor on the back when he almost choked on his drink.

"Er..." said the Doctor.

"Mhm."

"I didn't participate!" he exclaimed, cheeks turning slightly pink. "Much."

Rose snorted. "You're such a Plorg, you are."

"You take that back, Rose Tyler! I am not some sex-crazed, purple-"

"Oh, relax, Doctor," she interrupted, rolling her eyes. "You don't have to feel embarrassed about it. Nine hundred years is a long time. I'm sure you've done a lot of things that would make Jack very proud of you."

"Nine hundred?" said Martha. "You told me you were over a thousand."

Rose jaw dropped. "What?! Is that true? Why would you lie to me about that?"

"Weeeell," the Doctor said, rubbing his neck furiously and looking around the room. "You were...and I was...and then...oh, look, is that her?" He nodded towards a gorgeous blond woman in a yellow gown, dashing across the ballroom between dancing couples, looking a little flustered and annoyed. "I believe she seems to be in need of assistance."

Rose and Martha watched the Doctor scurry away towards the blond, who seemed very relieved to see him, and two seconds later they were dancing, chatting and laughing. Catching their eyes, the Doctor smiled, raised his eyebrows and nodded.

"Guess that's Lysandria, then," said Martha. "Just need to find Hunt."

"He sure isn't wasting any time," Rose muttered, glaring at the Doctor as he dipped a giggling Lysandria.

"Jealous, are we?" asked Martha, elbowing Rose in the side.

Rose inhaled and exhaled slowly. "No. This is good. Very good. I'm sure the Doctor thought of it, too. Lysandria is out on the floor now, where everyone can see her, so she's safe. And Hunt will have his eyes directed right at her, which means he won't pay attention to the crowd and we can mingle and find him."

She started scanning the room again, purposely avoiding to look at the Doctor for a little while. Oh, of course she was jealous. She couldn't help it-she was the jealous type, whether she wanted to be or not-and it didn't matter that they weren't like that. She wanted him for herself, anyway. Not that she would let it get the better of her; they had a mission to accomplish.

"S'brilliant, really. I bet the two of us can take him, so maybe we should-" Rose turned towards the dance floor again and what she saw made her lose the ability to talk.

"He's just being nice," said Martha, reaching out for Rose's hand to show her support. "He doesn't look at her the way he looks at you."

Rose didn't hear her-she didn't hear _anything_ at that moment-the only thing she was aware of, was Lysandria flirting like she'd never done anything else in her life. She was charming and coy; she wet her lips with her swift pink tongue; looking up at the Doctor through her lashes, she let her fingers dance over his biceps; she smiled sweetly whilst fluttering her eyelashes and all the other little tricks she apparently had mastered during her twenty odd years. It looked effortless and natural-not schooled at all-and the Doctor didn't seem to mind one bit. He moved them elegantly about the dance floor, all smiles and winks and head held high, obviously basking in the attention the prettiest woman in the room was giving him.

Rose heard herself let out a frustrated growl, tugging Martha with her and vanishing into the crowd to search for Hunt. If the Doctor wanted to fall for yet another rich blond blue-eyed seductress, then so be it, but she sure as hell wasn't going to watch.

"So, we found out quite a lot. Talked to some woman named Lala," Rose began, quickly filling in Martha about the rest of their conversation.

"Yeah, Stefan talked about the treaty as well. His words were positive but I could tell he's not a fan, yeah? And what better way to stop someone from signing a treaty than kidnapping her children? Didn't the Doctor say he's one of the richest men on the planet? I'm sure this has something to do with money. "

"Ugh, people can be so horrible. At least the triplets are safe," Rose said, putting down her empty champagne flute on a table.

It didn't take long to spot Hunt, who already had caught they eye of many of the unescorted female guests and therefore was creating a bit of a buzz. He was now clean-shaven, wore a dinner jacket and had styled his hair into a long Pompadour, leaving him very handsome. He paid no attention to any of his admirers, though; his eyes were firmly locked on Lysandria.

"We just need to get him to the TARDIS… She'll make sure he can't get out until the Doctor gets there. He won't be able to fire a weapon in there, either."

"And how are we supposed to do that? Oh! Maybe we can use that knock sequence to gain his trust," Martha suggested.

"Oh, Martha, you are _good_," Rose breathed, moving closer.

"I'm not sure about trying to get him into the TARDIS, though. I mean, it says Police Box. Won't he be suspicious? And, he looks strong. I'm not sure we can take him. Don't we need the Doctor?"

"Oh, right. Damn." Rose licked her lips, thinking. "Problem is he's seen the Doctor now, since he's got his arms full of Lysandria..."

"I just don't get why we couldn't have made up a plan before barging in here," Martha complained, shaking her head.

"Have you met the Doctor? I'm surprised he even read that ginger bloke's messages. He hates plans. Even Jack had plans and strategies. But not the Doctor..."

"I think I'd like to meet this Jack. You mention him a lot. Seems like a fun bloke." Rose grinned at her, cocking an eyebrow. "I didn't mean 'cause he's a space slut!" Martha hurriedly added.

"Yeah, all right, whatever you say." Rose chuckled. She took a deep breath, slowly letting it out. "I might have a plan. Listen." 

* * *

"Hello," said Rose, smiling brightly at Hunt. "I'm Rose."

"I'm busy."

"I'm sure," she replied, grabbing his hand and knocking the sequence into his palm.

Hunt narrowed his eyes. "What is it?"

"Slight change of plans. See that man she's dancing with?" She nodded towards the dance floor, where Lysandria and the Doctor still were twirling around. "We need him as well. They will be leaving together shortly, but I know which way they're heading. If you follow me we can wait in the alley and ambush them. You'll receive double payment of course."

Hunt, who had kept his eyes on the dancing couple the whole time she was talking, now turned to Rose, giving her a look-over. "And you're supposed to fight in those clothes? Or do you have any concealed weapons?"

"No. You are the one who's fighting. I'm just here to make sure our marks are alive and well until our friend comes to collect them."

Hunt grinned at her. "Okay, little lady. Lead the way."

She took him to an alley one block from where they had parked the TARDIS. They didn't chat and she could tell he was just as aware of her every movement as she was of his. Things seemed to be going according to plan, though, and soon they heard the Doctor and Lysandria's flirty banter echo down the street, close to the mouth of the alley.

Rose turned to Hunt to tell him to get ready to ambush them but, before she had a chance to react, he reached behind his back and pulled a compact laser deluxe out of his bum. Her fist shot out reflexively, aiming for his face; however, parrying her move without much effort at all, Hunt firmly grabbed her wrist, spun her around and locked her against his chest. His weapon was pressed against her temple and she couldn't help but wonder if he had a sweaty bum and if that sweat now was rubbing off on her face. The weirdness of it all almost made her chuckle.

"Not. One. Word," he hissed into her ear. "Noticed you at Plasma 12, you know. Recognized you morons right away. Stupid idiots."

"That was a bit redundant, don't you think?" she muttered, and then mouthed 'sorry' as the Doctor, Martha and Lysandria turned the corner.

"Make one move, and she snuffs it," Hunt growled.

Wearing his very-very-calm face, the Doctor stepped in front of Lysandria to shield her as he and Martha raised their hands in the air.

"Now. Who do you work for? Maybe we can make a deal? Split the money. No need to make this messy," Hunt suggested.

"Me? Work? Not if I can help it," said the Doctor, changing his calm mask to the one of fake joviality. "Can you imagine me with a job?" he asked Martha. "Shuffling papers, coming and going at specific times, following orders from some stuffy, old boss, gossiping by the water cooler-"

"Actually, gossiping by the water cooler seems like something you'd enjoy," answered Martha.

The Doctor mulled it over for a second. "Really? Me?"

"Oh, yeah," said Rose, ignoring the pain shooting through her arm as Hunt tightened his grip. "You'd know everything about everyone...and you'd be smug about it, too. 'Oh, have you heard about Liza?'", she said, using a silly voice. "'She shagged Richard from accounting in the copy room. And now she's pregnant. Oh, you didn't know? She told me right away. Guess she likes me. I _am_ rather brilliant, after all.'"

The Doctor scoffed. "I do not sound like that!"

"Yeah, you do. 'I told her to name it Doctor, I did'!" Rose sniggered.

"It is a very nice name! I've had it for centuries and you'll hear no complaints from me."

"Oh, so you're not tired of hearing 'Doctor? Doctor who?' everywhere you go?"

"Well," the Doctor drawled, looking as though he very much wanted to tug at his ear. "Sometimes I stumble upon extraordinary people who say 'Doctor what?', I'll have you know. Makes all the difference. Variation is the spice of life!"

Grinning, Rose started to retort but got cut off by Hunt forcefully pushing her into the arms of the Doctor. They fell down on the ground together and the former Time Agent muttered something about them being annoying fools not worth the trouble before punching his vortex manipulator and disappearing.

"Martha, take Lysandria to the TARDIS. Now." The Doctor helped Rose stand up. "Are you alright? Did he hurt you?" He scanned her body with his eyes as well as the sonic screwdriver.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just my wrist. S'bit sore," she said, cradling it. "And I might have bum sweat on my temple."

Frowning, the Doctor shook his head and ran the sonic over her wrist. "I trusted you and you just had to find trouble, didn't you."

She sighed. "Oh, not this again."

"I'm trying really hard, Rose, and I didn't say anything when we were at Plasma 12. But if you insist on putting yourself in harm's way-"

She cut him off with a disgruntled noise. "I don't _insist_ on doing that. But Hunt was right there! I had to do _something_ before we lost him again. And I had to lure him away! We couldn't make a scene and risk the treaty."

"Well, it's good that you thought about that," he admitted, "but we _did_ lose him again! You should've consulted me before running off."

"Yeah, maybe we would have if you hadn't been too busy fawning over Lysandria," she muttered, groaning inwardly over how jealous she sounded.

The Doctor's frown deepened. "What? Don't be ridiculous. That wasn't-"

"Doesn't matter," she interrupted. "Look, he was watching the two of you. I had to come up with something. And I wasn't even that hurt. Please, stop coddling me. I'm fine."

"You just as easily could've been _'that hurt'_! That man is dangerous. He could've shot you, or beaten you up-or what if he had taken you with him!? You could've ended up anywhere, anywhen!"

"'What if'? 'Could've'? Well, I didn't! What happened to you when I was away? This is ridiculous!" she yelled, thrusting her good arm out in frustration.

"What _happened_ to me?" he growled, boring his dark, angry eyes into her.

"Yeah! You were never this overprotective of me before."

"Maybe I should've been!" he shouted. "Maybe then you wouldn't have been possessed by a bitchy trampoline; chased by a werewolf; almost dissected by clockwork droids; or had your face-_your face_-stolen. And you wouldn't have lost your grip-" Pain washed over his face, jaw tightening but, with the smallest shudder, his expression turned neutral again. "I've had a lot of time to think about this and, ever since my regeneration, I've been neglectful and easily distracted. All of those things happened because I wasn't paying attention or I didn't take safety measures or-"

Her features softened and she stepped up to him, putting her hand on his upper arm. "You should be focused on the problem not on me. And these things…they're part of this life, yeah? You've been honest about this being dangerous from day one, so it's not like you've been misleading me or anything. S'not your fault, Doctor."

"No, it is. I should've..." He cleared his throat. "I should have secured you to that magna-clamp, just as you did. Wouldn't have taken long. But instead I wasted precious time by-by scolding you for being _you_, and..." He closed his eyes for a second and when he opened them again she could clearly see the self-disdain in them. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry-"

"Stop it," she interrupted, but she did it tenderly and hugged him, stroking him in circles across his back. "No use thinking like that, you hear? We'll just try and do better next time, yeah? Lysandria is safe-her siblings too-and right now, that is all that matters."

She felt his head bob up and down against hers but then he stepped back, hands in his pockets. "What happened, anyway?"

Rose laughed joylessly and kicked a pebble. "Once we heard you coming, he grabbed me and pulled out his weapon. From his bum, by the way. Was so shocked I didn't react until it was too late."

The Doctor smirked. "Jack used to do that."

"Really? Must be a Time Agent thing, then. I bet Jack came up with it." She laughed genuinely this time.

"Probably." He grinned at her. "C'mon, let's get back to the TARDIS." 

* * *

They entered the time ship, finding Martha standing by the jumpseat, which held a very excited Lysandria. The blond woman immediately leapt up and ran to the Doctor and Rose, taking their hands.

"Martha has filled me in. I'm ever so grateful for your selfless actions. If I can repay you in anyway... I can't even begin to tell you how much this treaty means to my mother. Thank you."

"Our pleasure." The Doctor patted her hand and walked up to the console. "Now, the treaty is supposed to be signed one hour after sunup, so for you only minutes will have passed, but for them it's a whole new day. You may use the TARDIS phone or one of my companions' super phones to call your mother and give her some excuse as to why you left the ball early."

"I beg your pardon?" said Lysandria. "Are you implying that this vessel can jump ahead in time?"

The Doctor furrowed his brow, turning to Martha. "Didn't you fill her in?"

"Yeah, but I didn't tell her _everything_, did I? Can't run around telling your every secret to a perfect stranger."

"Oh. Yes. Good, Martha. Weeeell, Lysandria-"

"Do call me Sandy. Everyone does. Only old ladies are called Lysandria on my planet. It's my mother." Lysandria dismissively waved her hand. "Quite the eccentric. You should hear what my siblings are called."

"Anyway," drawled the Doctor. "This is the TARDIS. Bigger on the inside-as I'm sure you've noticed already-and travels through time and space."

"Are you telling me we could go _anywhere_ in time and space?" The Doctor nodded proudly. "And would you agree that I might have had a rather traumatic experience this evening and that I might deserve a short little trip? Just a small one?" She fluttered her eyelashes, slightly tilting her chin down and smiling.

"Weeell, suppose… Yeah, sure, we could do that. I actually do need to visit the market on Grox Alpha for some spare parts. It's very impressive, that place. Has got anything you could ever need. Right, Rose? Haven't been since we were there picking up...what was it?"

"Jam."

"Was it?"

"Yeah. You bought two hundred jars."

"Oooh, right. Jam..." A delighted smile spread across his face. "Two hundred and thirty four, actually. Good times. Could use a refill. So, Sandy, what do you say? Grox Alpha? Couple of thousand years ahead of your time?"

"Sounds delightful!" Lysandria chirped, clapping her hands.

"I'll just go change," Rose mumbled, not at all pleased by the turn of events.

"Oh, please don't," said Lysandria. "I'll look so silly in this if the three of you change into casual wear."

Rose puffed up her cheeks and exhaled slowly. "Yeah, alright. But you should remove that necklace of yours. S'not an entirely safe place."

"Oh." Lysandria unclasped the necklace, holding it up in front of the Doctor. "Will you keep it safe for me, please?"

"Of course." He slipped it into one of his transdimensional pockets. "Yours too, please, Rose." He held out his hand and she gave him the Gallifreyan necklace she'd been wearing.

Lysandria's eyes widened and her rosy lips formed on 'o'. "Are your pockets bigger on the inside, as well?"

"Yep!" He punched in the coordinates, pulling levers and twisting and turning different knobs on the console whilst twirling around, definitely showing off.

The TARDIS made a perfect landing and Lysandria could barely contain her joy as she skipped to the doors, opening them with a loud gasp. She bounced out with the Doctor in tow and Rose looked at Martha, rolling her eyes.

"This will be hilarious," she muttered.

"I'm telling you. You've got nothing to worry about," Martha stated, but Rose didn't listen.

She remembered another gorgeous blond who managed to break down the Doctor's barriers in no time at all. Clenching her jaw, she couldn't help but wonder how long it would take until Lysandria had him wrapped around her dainty finger.


	16. Lonely

Desperately missing her own mum, Rose pointed out that Lysandria should ring her mother as soon as they exited the TARDIS. So, Martha lend her her phone and, after making sure that her family was all right, Lysandria told her mother that she had left early with a handsome men she had met-something, as she pointed out after she hung up, that actually was true. She also told Martha and Rose all about how she had spent her evening avoiding Jason Hunt, who had been coming on to her during the ball, embellishing her story with a flurry of hand gestures, gasps and nose crinklings.

"I'm a great judge of character," she said, holding her hand at her chest and looking proud. "I read people very well. I was unaware of his true intentions, of course, but I could tell there was something not quite right about him. So I tried to let him down easy but he was very insistent."

Realising Hunt wouldn't take no for an answer, she searched for her brothers to ask for assistance, only to run into the Doctor instead and, by dancing with her, he kept her stalker at bay-and _boy_ was she grateful. She showered her hero with compliments, smiles and sultry looks and Rose had to use all of her willpower to prevent herself from snarling at the woman.

After finishing her story, Lysandria quickly linked her arm with the Doctor's, who strolled down the marketplace with his hands in his pockets. Telling him to lead the way, she took great interest in all the things he showed her, listened intently to his anecdotes and flirted heavily with all the vendor. She did, of course, assure the Doctor that the latter was all in the name of haggling and nothing else.

Rose became increasingly sulky and had she been able to shoot actual daggers, the Doctor and Lysandria's backs would look like Swiss cheese. The further they walked, the slower Rose's legs moved but she knew that the Doctor was constantly aware of her whereabouts. Every time the distance between them grew too wide, he halted with the excuse of looking at something and, as Rose got close again, he resumed walking. She had no idea if she should be insulted or flattered because, although Grox Alpha was far from the safest place in the universe, she had been there many times and knew which streets to avoid.

Well, that and which stalls. She narrowed her eyes as she saw the Doctor stopping at a vendor who sold something she had vowed would never again be allowed onboard the TARDIS. Shit. Was _that_ why he was so aware of how far away she was? Well, she was having none of that!

"Doctor!" she called, rushing over to stop him before he had a chance to do anything stupid. "Don't even think about it!"

The look on his face was one of the most innocent she'd ever seen him wear. "What?"

"I know which stall this is. You are not buying that cheese."

"What cheese?" he squeaked, hiding his hands behind his back.

She put her hands on her hips. "The cheese you're trying to hide from me."

"But Roooose."

"No. That thing smells worse than a thousand Slitheen farts as soon as you take it out of its stasis chamber. And it _lingers_."

"S'not _that_ bad, is it?"

"Last time I couldn't get it out of my hair for a week!"

"So I have to suffer because your inferior human noses only can sense the rotten-eggy smells instead of picking up on all of the different odour components this cheese has to offer? This is one of the tastiest cheeses there is! And with jam, oh, Rose, with _jam_! It's delicious!"

"I'm sorry, Doctor. I really am. But we are three humans-" She gave Lysandria a look-over. "Or wait. Are you human? I never really... Oh, whatever. We're three regular nosed humanoids against one Time Lord and we refuse to let you stink up the TARDIS. Right, ladies?"

Exchanging looks, Martha and Lysandria smiled meekly as they shrunk back and kept very, very silent.

"Please, Rose, pleeeease," he said, sporting a serious pout.

"No! You know I can't stand that smell. What if I decided to eat pears in your bedroom and leave the cores all over your bed and-and your desk and your nightstand! And, oh, on that little shelf by your longcase clock, which I don't get why you have, by the way-"

"It was a gift from William Clement himself!" he said in that tone he had when something was supposed to be obvious. "And if you did that, I would just find another room to sleep in until the TARDIS had taken care of it and removed the stench." He raised his eyebrows and sniffed, looking very smug.

"Well, then. I'd put them in your closet. All of your suits would smell like pear. And I'd take some really ripe pears and mash 'em up and put them in your chucks."

The Doctor's jaw dropped and she could swear his chin was actually trembling a little. "You wouldn't..." he whispered, Adam's apple bobbing.

She paused, letting him suffer for a while. "No. No, I wouldn't. Because I'm a nice person and I don't want you to have to endure the smell of pear, which you hate." She gave him a pointed look.

"Oh." Ducking his head, he put back the cheese. "I was being rude again. Sorry."

"It's all right, Doctor. Just...choose a cheese we can all enjoy, yeah?"

He beamed at her as though she had been very clever. "Choose a cheese!"

"Doctor..." she said, gesturing at him to get on with it.

Nodding, he turned his attention to the other products in the stall. Lysandria joined in with great fervor, charming the vendor into giving her free samples and, after tasting at least fifteen cheeses, the Doctor settled on something nutty and mild whilst Lysandria made good use of her credit stick and got a handful of some of the more expensive, and moderately smelly, stuff. 

* * *

"Ah, there's Niklaz' little shop," the Doctor said, as they reached a small hut at the center of a square. "I won't be long, just need a Lewldish jumper cable, a yoyo and a couple of Plioblian platinum nuts."

"You sure about that?" Rose knew how long he usually took to get 'a few spare parts' at Niklaz' and she rarely joined him for that reason. When he was busy rummaging through box after box of whatchamacallits, she usually spent her time by browsing the dessert carts; looking for trinkets for her mum; or sitting down by the fountain next to the shop, soaking up the afternoon sun.

"Weeell, I might browse a little as well." He rubbed his neck. "Maybe you can show them that lovely little place at the far end of the square? You know with the..." He made a spiraling motion with one hand over the other, nodding at Rose.

"Oooh, yeah. Love those!" she said, knowing exactly which pastry he was talking about. "Those vytrilliaberries they have on top? God, they're tasty. D'you think there's such a thing as vytrilliaberry jam?"

The Doctor's mouth dropped open and she was pretty sure she could see at least one droplet of drool forming.

"I can ask, if you'd like..." she said and he nodded, beaming at her. "Well, then, ladies. Follow me."

"Actually!" Lysandria turned to the Doctor. "I'd like to join you, if I may?"

He scratched his chin. "Oh. Er..."

"See, I need a Jubilite converter for my PPG50," she said, fishing out a small device from her spectacular cleavage. "Been on the fritz ever since I was foolish enough to tinker with a Barusian screwdriver. But I learned my lesson. Never again." She let out a coquettish giggle.

Blond, blue-eyed, beautiful _and_ liked to tinker? Rose was not in the mood for witnessing the Doctor's undoubtedly delighted reaction so, she took Martha's hand and started walking towards the patisserie, nostrils flaring and lips curling into a silent snarl. She was going to stuff her face with pastries dripping with whipped cream and custard, enjoy the company of her very nice friend and not think about the stupid Time Lord and his stupid poised lady friends at all. 

* * *

Sitting at a small round table in rickety chairs by a statue of a fertility goddess, sipping lemonade and enjoying a slice of pie, Martha could almost imagine she was doing something normal. It reminded her of being on holiday in Italy. Well, if she ignored the family of bipedal, rainbow-coloured armadillo-type aliens next to her and Rose that was. It amazed her how familiar many of the cultures were, no matter what planet they visited; pudding was simply universally loved, she reckoned.

She listened as Rose babbled on about anything that didn't regard the Doctor or Lysandria and Martha kindly played along. When Rose talked about her theories concerning the slightly confusing film they watched the other day, Martha didn't point out that the Doctor had massaged Rose's feet the whole time. When Rose shared anecdotes about her numerous trips to Glox Alpha, Martha didn't mention that this wasn't her first visit-or that the Doctor bought that smelly cheese the last time and that he didn't care whether it bothered Martha or not. When Rose mused out loud about going back to New New York to do something with her hair-maybe a trim, touching up the roots, or going brunette-Martha kept to herself that the Doctor never took her anywhere just so she could have her hair cut and so on.

However, no matter how much Rose talked, she couldn't hide the fact that her thoughts were occupied by the Time Lord and Lysandria and Martha had had enough. So, in the middle of one of Rose's rants about something that only further proved how differently the Doctor treated them, Martha put down her lemonade glass and grabbed her friend's hand instead, willing her to listen.

"I get why you're upset, I really do. But he's not into her. He is just being polite."

Rose sat silent for a long time, picking at her nails. "Maybe. But he will be. She's just his type."

Martha suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. "No, she really isn't."

"And how would you know?"

"Because she's not anything like you!"

Rose slumped down in her chair, folding her arms over her chest, looking like a sulking child. "I know. That's the thing, though, isn't it? I've seen him fall in love before and she was just like Lysandria. Well, more poised, talked more pretentious like, yeah, but still they same type. They even look alike."

Martha knitted her brow in disbelief. She'd seen the Doctor with Rose for months now and there was no way he would ever look at another woman whilst being with Rose. "What happened?"

Sighing, Rose sat up straight again. "Remember when I told you that we had a fight and the TARDIS removed the galley door? Was that time. We were at this space ship which had time portals to 18th century France. The Doctor repeatedly left me and Mickey alone on that ship, even though there were killer droids after us, so he could be with Reinette." Rose's lips curled in distaste as she said the woman's name.

Intrigued, Martha leaned forward. This didn't sound anything like overprotective Doctor she had come to know during the months since Rose's return.

"Well, he was trying to solve the problem, of course, but they partied and danced whilst me and Mickey were tied up and..." She shuddered. "The droids were just about to cut us up when he came back with his tie around his head and his-his shirt untucked."

"What?" Martha gasped, shaking her head. "No, no, that's... Really?"

"Yeah," Rose croaked. "And then, to save her, he had to crash through one of the portals-on a white horse, like some bloody knight-knowing he wouldn't be able to come back. He didn't even say goodbye. Not properly. And I waited for him, for five and a half hours, to come back, not knowing if me and Mickey would starve to death. I can't pilot the TARDIS!"

"Are you serious? No..." Martha still couldn't believe it. "He had to have had a good reason, right? It was a fixed point in time or something."

"Yeah, 'course. He had to save her. She was a historical figure. That's not why I was upset. But he didn't even try coming up with a good plan. Whilst waiting, I figured out a lot of solutions and I'm just a stupid ape! I've seen him do the most remarkable things, seen him solve a problem before he's even heard all of the details. He can find the solution in a second if he wants to. But not then. Instead of using his big Time Lord brain, he used the little one," she said, bitterness lacing her voice. "He just jumped at the chance of being stranded with her."

"But...he came back, right?"

"He did. By pure luck. He came back, reeking of her perfume and, as soon as he realised that the portal was stable, he ran straight back to her," Rose said, emphasising her words by shooting her hand through the air.

Martha was so shocked she almost fell off her chair. "What?! That git!"

"Yeah. Was inviting her to join us, even though he shouldn't even bring historical people along. But time moved differently, and when he went to get her, she'd died. He, uhm, he shut me out. Didn't want to see me for, like, a day. And then we barely spoke, until the TARDIS intervened. She was on my side, you know. Was the first time I could really feel her emotions. He stranded her too and she was _not_ happy."

"Well, what did he have to say for himself, then?"

"Nothing much. He was quiet for hours. Then he started explaining about fixed points in time, how Reinette wasn't supposed to die by clockwork droids and so on. And finally, a couple of minutes before five and a half hours had passed, he apologised for the way he had treated me and Mickey. And we hugged, and that was that. We never really talked about it after that. Or about Reinette. Was a bit weird for a few days. We acted like normal, yeah, but it just felt..." She shrugged.

"And you're sure that he...you know?"

"No, I'm not sure. He never did say and I never asked. But..." she said, shredding her napkin into thin strips. "I heard him declaring, quite loudly, that he'd been snogged by Madame de Pompadour. Don't think I was supposed to hear it, but it echoed through the hallways of the space ship. And he smelled like her and he spent hours by her side. Maybe even days, I have no idea, actually. She was in love with him, that I know. Met her a few times and she talked about him like he was hers. And she was a courtesan, a proper one. I mean, do the math... Of course he shagged her."

"I don't believe it..." Martha said. Rose features hardened and she turned her head away. "No, I believe _you_, Rose. I just can't believe he actually did all of that. What the hell was he thinking? I..." She couldn't stop shaking her head in disbelief. "I'm so sorry, Rose."

"Yeah," Rose drawled. Gathering the napkin strips in her hand, she rolled them into a ball and tossed it into a trash can a few feet away. She then rose from her chair with a heavy sigh. "Look, I don't feel like company right now. Thanks for listening, and stuff, but, uhm... I'll just go over there for a bit." She pointed at some stalls full of shiny trinkets. "Just pick me up after the Doctor's had his pastry and a cuppa. I know he'll want to."

Martha couldn't do anything but sit and stare as Rose walked away. Her mouth was hanging open and her treat and drink were forgotten. It was unfathomable! She knew there was still a lot to the Doctor she'd never seen but she would never have believed that he could be that negligent. Falling in love was one thing, that one couldn't control, but abandoning his companions and the TARDIS...? No. She just couldn't believe it.

"Where's Rose?"

The Doctor's voice brought her out of her musings and she almost laughed at the fact that he didn't bother to greet her. The first thing on his mind was Rose and to Martha it seemed as though it had always been that way. So why had he stranded her? No. It made no sense.

"She's right over there. She needed to be alone for a little while," Martha told him, pointing at her friend.

"Is she all right?"

"Yeah. Just, you know..." Martha shrugged.

"Oooh, your pudding looks divine!" Lysandria grabbed the menu card and started reading it. "Oh, it has pictures! I love it when menus have pictures. It's so quaint."

The newcomer kept chirping about all the wonderful things she experienced but Martha didn't really pay attention to the conversation. Her mind was occupied with going through Rose's story, trying to make sense of it all, but she came up short.

The Doctor had just finished his cake slice when he, dropping his spork, abruptly stood up.

"Something's wrong. Let Sandy finish her pudding then take her back to the TARDIS."

Throwing Martha a credit stick, he ran from their table without further explanation. She looked towards the stalls where Rose had been standing but she was nowhere to be seen. Feelings of worry for her friend, and anger with the Doctor who'd left her to babysit, flooded Martha and she wanted to run after him, leaving the blond to take care of herself, but Martha was a good companion and did what she was told. She could yell at the Doctor later. 

* * *

Rose had never really talked to anyone about Reinette, not even Mickey even though he tried hard to get her to open up, so telling Martha felt rather good. Unfortunately, it also left her feeling a bit too vulnerable and she needed to breathe. Standing by stalls filled with alien trinkets, letting her eyes and fingers run over different materials, always used to soothed her but this time it had the opposite effect.

She was chatting casually with one of the vendors when she saw it: a bazoolium. After that she didn't really remember what happened; it was just a big blur. Now, though, she was lying under the grating, pressed up against the time rotor on a pile of pillows the TARDIS had conjured up, petting the weather divinator and hoping she had the sense of mind to at least pay for it. She could honestly not remember.

The day when she had picked up the bazoolium to give to her mum had been one of the best of her life. She'd never been as close to the Doctor as she had then and had, at that point and without ever voicing it, considered them a proper couple-without the kissing and shagging, of course. She had been crazy in love and he had been touching her constantly, making her certain of the fact that it was only a matter of time before he would be ready to take the next step.

However, before anything had a chance to evolve, Torchwood happened and she was trapped.

Looking at the bazoolium, she couldn't help but wonder where the one she had given her mum was. Maybe packed up in a box, forgotten in a storage room owned by her nan? She pictured it gathering dust, wondering if she and her mum was forgotten as well. _Oh, mum!_ Her chest felt too small to contain all of the emotions that welled up inside of her. She'd never see her family again-_never_-and it hurt so much.

There was no use denying that, even though she had been lonely in Pete's World, she still was, wasn't she?

Being back here, in her proper universe, it was clear to her that she needed a confidant and, as great as Martha was, their friendship was still very new and they lived together. Rose wanted to be able to really pour her heart out to someone without having to face them over breakfast the next day but where could she find someone who would understand what life with the Doctor was like?

The TARDIS brushed her mind gently, letting her know she wasn't alone.

"I know, girl, I just need...someone. I _need_ someone." Her head snapped up, mouth quickly shutting as she heard the door open.

"Rose!" the Doctor called. "Rose, are you in here?"

"I'm down here."

She touched her cheeks to wipe off tears out of reflex but she realised she hadn't been crying. Then why did it feel like she had? Her head ached, her eyes were sore, her skin was hot and she was so tired.

"Are you alright?" the Doctor asked, sitting down beside her. "The TARDIS told me something was wrong."

"S'just..." She held out her hand, showing him the bazoolium. "I saw this and..."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Just miss mum. Don't get me wrong. This is where I want to be, but... I miss her. I really do. And Mickey and dad and Jake, too. And I never even got to see Tony."

He stroked her hair. "I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, I know. I'm all right. But…it all came back to me, yeah, when I saw this. Started thinking about how everything changed just because I wanted to give mum this little thing. I was so happy back then and now... God, I miss mum!"

"I'm so sorry," he repeated, but she just shrugged, not really knowing what to say, and leaned her head against the time rotor. "You've got quite the cosy little nook going here."

"Yeah, it helps being close to her. Her singing always makes me feel a little better. Really missed it in Pete's World."

"Helps me too. Would go barmy without her." Smiling, he pulled off Rose's shoes and started massaging her feet. "You must be tired. Running about in these all day."

"Mm. Missed that when I was trapped as well. You're really good at it."

"Weeell. Been around for a while, picked up a skill or two, you know."

She nodded, contentedly sighing as he kneaded her heel. "Did you find all the stuff you needed?"

"Yep! Oh, that reminds me." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the necklace and gave it to her.

"Uhm, that's all right. I don't need to wear it anymore and it's not mine, remember?"

"It is now. If-if you want."

"Oh. I..." She didn't really know how to respond or what it meant. "Who did it belong to?"

"Susan, my grand daughter. I think she would've liked you. Well, everyone likes you but you would've gotten along well," he said, motioning her to take the necklace.

"Oh... It's... Will you...?" Turning around, she lifted up her hair so he could put it around her neck. After he was done, she turned back to face him, giving him a radiant smile. "Thank you, Doctor. I love it."

Usually when she smiled like that he beamed back at her, but now he had a soft look in his eye and the corners of his mouth were slightly curled up. "Suits you." He chuckled a little. "Her birth name, Arkytior, means 'rose' in high Gallifreyan. Funny, hm?"

She blinked a few times. What the hell was he telling her? Rose's stomach turned over from the implication. Was _that_ how he viewed her? A grand daughter? Her mouth felt dry like a sandbox and she licked her lips to spread some moisture. What was she supposed to say to that? 

* * *

Martha and Lysandria returned shortly after Rose was given the necklace, so she and the Doctor joined them in the console room. Their guest was still as bubbly as ever and had nothing but lovely things to say about her trip.

"I'm glad," said the Doctor. "Guess it's time for you to go home, then."

"Already?" Lysandria asked, batting her eyelashes. "Don't you have room for another companion? This ship is bigger on the inside after all."

"Weeell, we did agree on the one trip, didn't we? And we usually don't go to places like this. Our lives are dangerous," he explained, twisting a few knobs.

"Dangerous?" Lysandria's eyes lit up. "What kind of dangerous?"

"Oh, you know, the usual." He bounced around to the other side of the console. "Running for your life, being incarcerated, blowing things up..."

"Sounds amazing!"

"Yeah, it is, it is, but...doesn't suit everyone."

"I'm not everyone, though, am I, Doctor?"

"Suppose not," he replied, running back. "Still..." Frowning deeply, he stared at the monitor. "No. No, no, no. No! What?! What are you doing?" he yelled, tugging at his hair. He whipped out his brainy specs, leaning in to inspect the monitor. "Why? Argh!"

"Doctor, what's wrong?" asked Rose.

"It's the TARDIS. She claims she needs to refuel and she's overriding my command." Turning around, he looked sheepishly at his friends. "Slight detour, I'm afraid. We're going to Cardiff."


	17. Jack's Back

"Refuel?" said Martha. "What, like petrol? Why Cardiff of all places?"

The Doctor kept looking at the monitor. "There's a rift here. The TARDIS uses the energy," he said, as though that would explain everything and Martha knew better than to repeat her question.

Lysandria looked like she couldn't believe her luck and bounced up and down, clapping her hands. "What's Cardiff, if I may ask? Is it a planet? Another market perhaps?"

"No, it's a city on Earth."

"Earth?! Oh, I've always wanted to visit Earth. This is so exciting! Caaaarrrrdiff," she said, trying the name out.

The Doctor muttered Gallifreyan curses whilst typing away and staring at the monitor. His kept taking out his frustration on his poor locks and his hair was a complete mess with spikes poking out in every which way.

Rose positioned herself beside him and he shifted his weight to get just a little bit closer to her. She put her hand on his shoulder and leaned forward a little to get a better view of the monitor. His arm shot up to encircle her waist but, before he had put his hand on her hip, he flexed his fingers and let his arm fall down limply to his side. Martha sighed and rolled her eyes at the sight. Why were they making it so hard for themselves?

"What is it?" Rose asked the Doctor.

"She says she needs at least twenty-four hours to refuel." He sighed and shook his head. "I'm so sorry, Sandy," he called over his shoulder. "You're stuck with us for a while."

"No problem whatsoever, I assure you, dear Doctor. But, how will I communicate with the Earthlings? Are all of your people as fluent in Varhian as the three of you?"

"Oh, no. The TARDIS translates for you. Her telepathic field gets in your brain. You speak Varhian, Rose and Martha hear English, and vice versa."

"Hm," Lysandria tapped her chin. "Does anything ever get lost in translation?"

The Doctor gaped at her. "No one's ever asked me that." He raised his eyebrows, looking very impressed. "But, to answer your question, no. Not unless it's a very complicated and rich language opposite a not as advanced one. You won't have a problem, though, don't worry."

"Ah. Wonderful! This is very nifty, Doctor," she said.

"I got angry when he told me," said Rose. "Don't much fancy things mucking about in my brain."

"Well, you're from simpler times," said Lysandria, in a tone that suggested she didn't really understand she was being condescending. "Your people are not as familiar with advanced technology as mine…or the Doctor's."

Rose opened her mouth to retort, but the Doctor beat her to it. "No. You see, Rose has a lot of integrity. As she should."

Lysandria smiled and tilted her head down slightly. "I do apologise. Please believe me when I say I had no intention of being rude."

"S'all right." Rose turned to the Time Lord. "Doctor, I'm in the right timeline now, right?" she asked, biting her thumb. He hummed, still focused on the monitor. "So...I could go visit someone if I wanted to, yeah?"

"I suppose, but who would you visit without having to explain an awful lot? Shareen? How much does she know, exactly?"

"No, not Shareen. I want to visit Sarah Jane."

Martha saw his whole body stiffen. "No."

"But she told me I could contact her anytime I needed. I could rent a car-"

"No. You've been up far too long to sit behind the wheel."

"I can take the train! Will take, like, three hours and then you can pick me up tomorrow."

"No."

"Why not?"

"I don't have to give you a reason. My TARDIS, my rules."

"Well, I'll take the train back, then."

"No."

"Is this the coddling thing again? I'm sure Sarah Jane can take care of me, you know," she said, turning around. She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the console, rolling her eyes. "I'll ring you when I get there, if that makes you happy. Just like I used to do with mum when I visited someone."

The Doctor didn't look at Rose. His head was hanging down and he was supporting his weight by splaying his hands over two of the few knobless spaces on the console. To Martha it looked like he was trying very hard to control his temper.

"Is-is this about the, uhm, sofa thing?" Rose asked and averted her eyes, fidgeting with her necklace.

The Doctor stood up straight and turned to her, puzzled. "What sofa... Oh." He swallowed, looking very nervous and a little flushed, but then he regained control over his features. "No. No, it's not."

This was like getting caught up in a juicy soap, mid-season. Martha was definitely intrigued, but very confused. She wanted to yell '_What sofa thing?!_' and '_Is there a summary of previous episodes I can read?!_', but she stood quietly by Lysandria, who seemed as equally wrapped up in the drama.

Rose's demeanour changed from upset to soft and she reached out for his hand. Brushing his thumb with hers in a placating motion, she asked, "Then why? If you can give me one good reason, Doctor, I'll stay."

"You are not visiting Sarah Jane."

Rose's face grew thunderous. "You're not the boss of me!"

Standing silent and ignoring her, the Doctor resumed to push buttons and pull levers.

Granted, their behaviour was very interesting, but Martha really preferred them getting along over them fighting-despite them usually being so sickly sweet with each other. If she wanted constant bickering, she would have stayed with her family-at least with them she actually knew what they were fighting about. She decided to go to her room to shower and change and leave those two to argue, but she had barely made it out of the console room when the Doctor called out.

"We're landing! Hang on to something, it's gonna be a rough one."

Shuddering and groaning, the TARDIS threw all four of them to the floor. The Doctor and Rose lay close to one another whilst Lysandria had fallen off the jump seat with a whoop and Martha was facing the coral wall next to the hallway. She got up, steadying herself against the wall as the TARDIS finished materialising, and started to walk to her room.

"Rose, what are you doing?" The Doctor sounded so nervous that Martha couldn't help but turn around to see what was happening.

Rose had climbed up on him and, straddling his hips, she effectively locked his arms to his sides with her knees. The Doctor seemed frozen in shock; his eyes were wide, lips parted and it didn't look as though he was breathing. Rose slid her hand inside his suit jacket, eliciting a loud gasp from him, and then pulled out his psychic paper from his inside pocket.

"Whatever the hell I want," Rose snarled. She quickly got up and ran out of the TARDIS.

The Doctor scrambled to his feet, searching the room with his eyes until he found Martha. "Run after her and make sure she stays put! I have to stabilize the TARDIS. I'll just be a minute."

"Can't we just let her-"

"Now!" he growled.

Cursing her footwear and her pilot, Martha followed her friend outside. She really was the babysitter, wasn't she? Ugh, as soon as this had blown over, she was having words! 

* * *

Clutching the psychic paper, Rose ran out into the Cardiff night. She didn't care in the least that she would be cold as hell in her fancy pink dress and strappy heels. She wanted to see Sarah Jane as it was, but the prospect of watching Lysandria cling to the Doctor for a whole day certainly increased her need to get away.

It had been a bit uncomfortable after the sofa incident but, by working together in fighting the Krillitanes, Rose and Sarah had become friendly. They had both been through the Doctor regenerating and now, after the France incident, they had both been abandoned by him. Rose had always regretted not visiting Sarah Jane after what had happened with Reinette so this time she was going and that was that. She needed someone who would understand. However, she hadn't gotten far when she felt a warm hand, too warm to belong to the Doctor, on her shoulder. She stopped and turned around with a heavy sigh.

"What?"

"Sorry, but the Doctor..." said Martha.

"No. If you wanna join me, please do. The three of us would have wicked fun. But you can't stop me from going. No one can."

She turned around again, ready to get going but…What? _What_?

A very familiar man was rushing towards the TARDIS, coat flapping behind him.

"Jack?!" she whispered, but the man was focused solely on the blue box and neither saw nor heard her. "Jack!" she called and the man halted, staring at her.

"_That_ Jack?" asked Martha.

Rose nodded, eyes locked on the handsome man.

Jack took a few tentative steps towards her, mouth hanging open and blue eyes wide and disbelieving. "Rose, is that you? But..."

"It's me! It's me, Jack!" she said, grinning from ear to ear and bouncing up and down. "What are you doing here?"

"But...she said...he lost..." Jack shook his head, blinked hard and took a step back, holding out his hand to stop her from coming closer. "Wait. Where in your timeline are you?"

"Oh, you heard about Canary Wharf? It's okay, I'm back."

"What do you mean 'back'?" he asked, still keeping some distance. "I saw your name on the list of the dead."

"I didn't die. I was trapped in a parallel world. but I'm back now."

A smile spread slowly across his face. "It's really you?"

"It's really me," she confirmed and he finally threw himself at her and hugged her so hard she thought her ribs would break.

"Oh, Rose! I thought you were dead."

She pulled back and cupped his cheeks. "And I thought I would never see you again. I'm so glad I was wrong. I..."

She pressed her lips together, trying to suppress the sobs born from all the heartache she had endured in the years since she'd seen him last. God, she had _missed_ him and it was such a relief to see him alive and well. Sarah Jane was all forgotten, because now here was Jack and he was just what she needed.

"Oh!" Rose chuckled. "The TARDIS. She _knew_. She did this on purpose."

"What?" asked Jack.

"That I need you."

Smiling, Rose leaned forward and kissed him.

It was just supposed to be a simple friendly brush of lips, but she was starved of this kind of affection and, without conscious thought, she sucked at his bottom lip and slipped her tongue in as he gasped. The kiss was slow and tender, born from friendship and understanding instead of passion, but still intimate and good enough to make her heart beat a little faster. She was dimly aware of Martha drawing in a sharp breath, but she did not care what it looked like. Jack knew what this was and, god, how she needed this, but then she felt him stiffen-and not in the fun way.

Jack pulled back carefully and removed his arms from around her body. Rose opened her eyes and saw him staring at something behind her.

Oh. Of course.

"I would recognise that jealous glare anywhere," Jack said and flashed his white teeth. "Doctor."

"Captain." The Doctor rslipped his hand into Rose's and tugged her away from Jack.

"You've regenerated. Looking good. Not that I didn't like the old you..." Jack's smile grew wider and then he noticed Martha and Lysandria. "Looking good _and_ travelling with three gorgeous ladies. Damn, Doc, I like the way you roll." Turning to the women, he said, in that confident flirty way of his, "Captain Jack Harkness."

"Stop it," said the Doctor.

"I don't mind," chirped Martha. "I've heard so much about you. Glad to finally meet you, Jack. I'm Martha."

"Lovely to meet you, Martha. And you are...?" he asked, turning to Lysandria.

"You may call me Sandy."

Rose couldn't help but notice that Lysandria's tone was a little cold. What reason did she have, anyway? She had never met Jack!

"So, what's with the tux? Is this your new thing? Out with the leather jacket, in with the...wait," said Jack, looking at the others. "You're all dressed up. Are we going to a party?"

The Doctor cocked an eyebrow. "We?"

"We've been to a ball," explained Rose. "Ended up with trouble. You know what it's like, yeah?"

"Well, he _is_ wearing his Dinner Jacket of Doom, after all," joked Martha.

"Oi! You said I look like James Bond in this."

"You do. _You're_ the one who said something bad always happens when you wear it."

"Oh my god, that's so true," said Rose, and started counting along her fingers. "The cybermen; that film premiere with the people-eating seats; the cocktail party at Lyforium with the firebreathing butterflies; King Thouseus' coronation; the Ouioyoiu concert-"

"How about the dinner at Firemoon Peninsula, hm? Nothing bad happened then."

Rose's cheeks grew hot. "Oh, right."

It had been her birthday. Well, that's what the Doctor had claimed anyway. She had long given up keeping track of dates, living on the TARDIS. He had booked a table at a wonderful restaurant at a cliff overlooking a vast violet ocean. The view had been spectacular: starlit sky and three moons of different hues ranging from yellow to red; large pterodactyl-lion-chimeras soaring over the terracotta coloured landscape; wolf-like creatures stalking the night, with amber eyes glittering in the dark and melodic howling echoing over the plains.

Their table had been on the terrace, which had white, night-blooming flowers climbing the railings, filling the air with their gorgeous scent. The food had been divine; the wine dry and sweet; the conversation perfectly doctor-and-rose and after dinner they had danced slowly to the music of a live orchestra. The night had been so intimate and lovely that Rose had dared to give him a lingering peck on the cheek to thank him, as he bid her goodnight outside her bedroom. It was one of her most cherished memories, one that had kept her sane during lonely nights in dark forests and abandoned buildings.

"No, nothing bad happened then," Rose admitted, trying to ignore how her heart swelled from the emotions that memory stirred in her.

"Well?" a grinning Jack prompted. "Did something _good_ happen?"

"We had dinner and, uhm, danced. Was my birthday," Rose said and shrugged, hoping she was convincing in her nonchalance.

"Danced? So, this is your _Lucky_ Tux, then, Doc?" Jack teased, running his finger over the Doctor's lapel. "Glad to see you crazy kids finally did something about that unresolved sexual tension."

"Jack!" Rose said, mortified and definitely not looking at the Doctor. "Not _that_ kind of dancing."

"Really? Still not? Jeez. Sorry! In more ways than one," he said, holding up his hands.

"What's with the backpack?" asked the Doctor, obviously eager to change the subject.

"Nothing much." Jack slid it off his shoulders, zipped it open and took out a hand in a jar. "Just my little Doctor detector."

"But...that's _my_ hand!"

"Yep. Sure is," said Jack, still grinning. "As fun as this is, it's cold out and the ladies are in evening wear. Maybe we can take this to the TARDIS galley?"

"Oh, right. Are you cold?" the Doctor asked Rose, and shrugged off his jacket to hang it over her shoulders.

"Thanks," she said, still too upset with him to give him a smile. She was, however, very pleased to see Lysandria pursing her lips and Rose bit her own to stop herself from smirking.

Knowing better than to choose one of the remaining ladies over the other, Jack kept his coat on.

"So, Doc…" Jack squeezed himself between the Doctor and Rose and wrapped his arms around their shoulders. "Wanna make this real fun?"

"Probably not."

"I do," said Martha.

"I like you, gorgeous. Let's run to the TARDIS and see if the Doc's got any of my hypervodka left."

He let go of his old friends, grabbed Martha's hand and started running.


	18. Hypervodka

"Before I do anything else, I'm getting out of these clothes," said Rose with a sigh as they entered the TARDIS.

Jack grinned at her. "Need help?"

"Nah, I'm actually old enough to know how to dress and undress myself." She turned around and, putting some extra effort into swaying her hips, headed towards her bedroom. She was getting a shower, changing into her jimjams and she could murder a cuppa. Maybe some toast, too.

"Rose, Sandy needs a room for the night. And maybe you could lend her something more comfortable to wear, hm?"

"Oh. Yeah. Sure," she mumbled. Great. "C'mere, then, Sandy."

"I'll join you," said Martha.

After giving Lysandria one of the empty, non-descript bedrooms the TARDIS always kept available for guests, Rose took her to her room to lend her some sleepwear. Martha had already jumped into her own en-suite for a shower.

"Hm," Lysandria said, running her fingers over the different garments. "What do you usually wear during the evenings?"

"Well, I just wear my jimjams." Rose pulled out a plaid pair in red and white. "Martha likes a tank top and tracksuit bottoms."

"And the Doctor?"

"He wears his suit. Occasionally jimjams. But, I mean, you can wear whatever. No one really cares, yeah?"

"I see..." Lysandria pulled out a pair of lavender, lace trimmed silk shorts with a matching camisole and a bone white, knee-length dressing gown. "Is this all right?"

Rose coughed. "Uhm, yeah... As long as you keep your knickers on."

"Oh, and may I borrow some cosmetics? Only the basics. Mascara, lipgloss and blush should suffice."

Rose blinked a few times. "Okay," she drawled and went into her en-suite for her makeup kit. "Knock yourself out."

"My mother always says a lady should look her best," Lysandria explained. "I am one, you know. A lady, I mean."

"Oh. Uhm. I'm a dame. But I don't really use my title." Rose chuckled as she saw the other woman's eyes grow wide from surprise.

"Nor I. Well, not privately, that is. On Varhia we only use our titles publicly." Lysandra gathered the things Rose had given her. "Are you certain this is fine?" She regarded Rose carefully. "I'd like to look my best for the Doctor."

Rose was a bit taken aback from the other woman's honesty, but she couldn't really say anything about it. The Doctor wasn't hers and she didn't want to talk about her feelings for him-or his intimacy issues, for that matter-with this stranger.

"Yeah, whatever." Rose shrugged. "Look, just take it back to your room. I'm gonna jump in the shower, now. See ya." She ushered Lysandria out of her room and shut the door, rolling her eyes.

Muttering to herself, she put back the plaid jimjams and rummaged through her closet to find the silliest set she could find: a really cute pair Mickey had gotten her some Christmas, a lifetime ago. They were white with a seamless pattern of behatted, pink kittens using magnifying glasses to inspect paw prints. Perfect. Maybe it wasn't mature of her, but as Lysandria was _so_ well-bred and poised, she felt like really emphasising her Rose Tylerness.

After undressing, Rose stood naked, save the necklace, in front of the mirror. She reached up to touch the pink crystals, feeling their hard edges against the pads of her fingers. The clarity was rather smoky, but instead of it leaving them dull, they held an understated beauty. It didn't matter if the Doctor associated her with his granddaughter or not. This was a piece of his lost planet and she would wear it proudly.

Keeping the necklace on, she took a long, hot shower, scrubbed her face free from makeup, put on her jimjams and a pair of bunny slippers. She quickly blow-drying her hair and, gathering the messy locks, fixed it into a bun at the top of her head. With a final look in the mirror, she gave her reflection a nod and a little salute, and then walked to the galley. 

* * *

Rose stopped dead in the doorway, biting her lip and grinning like a fool. The Doctor was making tea and buttering toast, whilst Jack mixed a concoct of hypervodka, cranberry juice, crushed eyes (which weren't really eyes, but some sort of sugary, ice-cold but unmeltable and edible crystal) and Zzhudish liqueur. Maybe it was silly, especially considering how little she had cried since Bad Wolf Bay even though her life had been hell, but she couldn't stop herself from tearing up by the sight before her.

"Oh," she squeaked.

"What?" asked the Doctor, pouring hot water into her favourite, pink-and-yellow polka dot tea cup.

"Just like old times, yeah?" she said, rubbing her watery eyes. "Well," she added, looking at Martha and Lysandria, "almost, anyway. Sorry for taking so long. What have I missed?"

Lysandra was sitting in Rose's usual spot, the one opposite the Doctor's but, instead of making a fuss, she sat down between his spot and Jack, who was seated at the short side. She noticed Lysandria watching her, really taking in her form, and she couldn't help but wonder if the other woman considered her a rival.

"Nothing much. The Doc was just telling me how he can't stand me."

Rose spun around to glare at the Doctor, who was still at the counter behind her. "Doctor!"

"What? I can't help it!" the Doctor said, holding out his hands as to say he was innocent.

"Yeah, apparently I'm a fixed point in time and that makes a Time Lord's skin crawl."

"But...you weren't before, right?" she asked, munching on some toast. "The Doctor never said anything."

"No, it's..." Jack and the Doctor exchanged looks. "I can't die."

"What do you mean, you ca-" Rose noticed the way the men were looking at each other. "Oh, no. No. No, no, no. Was it me? Did I do something as-as Bad Wolf?"

"Rose," Jack said, taking her free hand. "I was killed by the Daleks, and you resurrected me."

Panic rose in her and she tightened her grip on Jack's hand. "Resurr...what, like the gauntlet? You're not..." She shook her head, very frightened. "You can't be like O-"

"Gauntlet? The _Resurrection_ Gauntlet? The Risen Mitten? How do you know about that?"

"We had this metal glove at parallel Torchwood-"

"You worked for _Torchwood_?!"

"Yeah, I'll explain later," she said, eager to know more about what had happened at the game station. The Doctor had told her... Wait. Had he lied about that as well? "Doctor, you told me Jack had stayed behind to rebuild the Earth. Why did you lie to me?"

"He feels _wrong_. I had to get away from there, and I was only trying to protect you from the memories. Protect your mind. You know that."

After the events at Torchwood House she asked him why the werewolf had said there was something of the wolf about her. Slowly, during their time together, he had helped her remember, piece by piece. Never forcing anything, afraid that he would trigger something that would make her burn or just overwhelm her. She had never remembered anything about resurrecting Jack, though.

"You're sitting with him just fine now, though," she said, glaring at the Doctor over the rim of her tea cup. It didn't matter how good his intentions were, keeping her away from one of her best friends wasn't something she'd be okay with just like that.

"I panicked, al lright? Was a bit busy dying, and all," the Doctor muttered. "And it's not like I _enjoy_ being in the same room as him, even now. No offence, Jack. But your mere presence sets my teeth on edge."

"None taken. Not your fault, Doc," answered Jack, looking close to crestfallen.

"God, I'm so sorry, Jack." Rose hid her face in her hands. "You must hate me."

"No, honey, of course I don't. I've made my peace with it," Jack said and, smiling apologetically, Rose leaned over to hug him. "Besides, comes in handy, in my line of work."

"Still. I wish we hadn't left you. That you'd been there after he regenerated."

"Wait, so you lot were travelling together _before_ the Doctor changed?" asked Martha, finishing her tea. "Thought you said old him only liked it when the two of you were alone."

"He did, but Jack's different," said Rose and bumped her knee with his under the table with a smile.

"Yeah, he fancied me." The Doctor pulled a little at his collar, looking very smug.

"Still do, Doc." Jack flashed him a smarmy grin. "Fancied Rose, too, but... You should've seen that one," he said to Martha, pointing at the Doctor, "when we first met. I had my eye own Rose, here, and Doc made it perfectly clear that she wasn't available."

"I did not!"

"No? So what, exactly, were you trying to tell me by dancing around with her in the console room, even though she asked _me_, and dipping her real low and giving me _that_ look," Jack asked, leaning back in his chair with his arms folded over his chest.

"What look?"

"Hands off the blonde..." Jack quirked an eyebrow, smirking at him.

"Oh, come off it. We were just dancing," said Rose. "Jack's a former Time Agent. S'why he's different. Right, Doctor?"

"Eer, yep. Time Agents are a real nuisance, but you do, at least, have some-weeell, I say some, but I mean very little, minuscule really-understanding of timelines. Didn't need to have that whole conversation about fixed events, flux and how to _not_ touch yourself and whatnot," he said, giving Rose a pointed look.

"Actually," Jack said, holding up his finger in the air, "since neither of you were giving me some, I touched myself kinda frequently."

"I meant another version of yourself," said the Doctor, frowning, whilst the rest of the table giggled.

"Didn't you say, Doctor," Lysandria piped, nibbling on the last piece of toast, "that Jason Hunt was a former Time Agent?"

"Jason Hunt?" asked Jack. "You've run into him?"

"Oh, you know him?"

"Boy, do I ever." Jack nodded, grinning suggestively. "A real troublemaker, that one. But the mouth of a goddamn vacuum cleaner."

"Oh, yeah," said the Doctor knowingly and then sputtered as the others gaped at him. "I meant the troublemaker part! Oh, get your minds out of the gutter!" He sighed and added under his breath, "Bloody humans..."

"Out of the gutter? Never," said Jack and got up to hand out the drinks he had made earlier. "Now that we've all been good little Brits and finished our tea and toast, it's time for the good stuff. I hope you've stocked up on 51st century painkillers, Doc. 'Cause, ladies, you will need them in the morning."

Martha took a sip and scrunched up her face. "Whoa, nelly. This is some seriously strong stuff."

"But good, too, huh?"

Martha took another sip. "Definitely!"

"God, Jack!" Rose coughed after taking a much too large gulp. "I swear these are stronger than you used to make 'em."

"Or you're just a light weight, Tyler. Don't get too drunk, though, 'cause tomorrow I'm gonna take you to this really great-"

"Jack, we can't stay," interrupted the Doctor. "Lysandria is not travelling with us. This was just a one trip deal, and we need to return her to her own time and planet."

"Doctor, I assure you, I don't mind. I'm enjoying myself tremendously and would very much like to visit an Earth club and dance to some Earth music."

"I don't know..."

"Please, Doctor," said Rose, resting her chin on his shoulder. "I really need this."

He smiled tenderly at her. "Well, if it's all right with Lysandria, I suppose we could stay for a little while."

She nudged his shoulder with her own. "Thank you, Doctor. I really appreciate it."

"Yeah, it's fine by me, too. If anyone was wondering," muttered Martha.

"Woohoo!" said Jack and punched the air. "So, Rose, I need to know everything about that whole parallel world thing? Is your mom there? Mickey?"

Rose cast a quick glance at Lysandria, whilst she chewed on some of the crushed eyes from her drink. She really didn't feel like opening up in front of her so she settled on telling a milder version of her story-even milder than the one she had told the Doctor and Martha. "...and then, parallel you showed up, took me back in time to Canary Wharf and I jumped back here."

"Parallel me, huh? What was I like? Charming? Irresistible?"

"Oh, yeah. You hit on me," she said, grinning, and held out her glass for a refill.

During her story, they had all finished their drinks and then some. Martha, Jack and Rose were even on their third and she was really starting to feel a little _giddy_. Ahem. Well. A lot, might have been more accurate.

"Gorgeous woman like you? Of course I did. So," Jack said, leaning towards her, "did it work?"

She giggled and pushed him playfully. "You know, if I hadn't been on a tight schedule it definitely would've."

"Really? Can't believe I almost had sex Rose Tyler and it wasn't even me."

"Maybe it was for the best." Rose laughed. "I've not been shagged in so long, I probably have cobwebs down there."

Leering at her, Jack leaned in closer again. "I'm very good with my duster," he said, but he had barely finished his sentence before he sat up straight, holding up his hands. "Take it easy, Doc. You know I'm just kidding."

Rose turned to her right and saw the Doctor glaring at Jack, eyes dark and threatening. She wasn't really used to seeing _this_ him possessive. His ninth form, on the other hand, had definitely been the jealous type. Maybe it had to do with this new overprotectiveness of which he had become so fond? Or, perhaps, that Jack was "wrong"?

"Yeah. And don't worry about me and my little ape needs, Doctor," she said, patting his arm. "I'll just ask the TARDIS to soundproof my room and then I'll use my vibrator, just like every other night."

Rose didn't realise what she had said until Martha laughed so hard she almost choked and she slapped her hands over her mouth. Lysandria raised her eyebrows, hiding her smile behind her drink.

Trying to keep a straight face, Jack held up his glass and inspected the drink. "Gotta remember this recipe the next time my team needs a truth serum."

"Shut up," Rose said and punched him on his upper arm. "I found a really good one in New New York. S'got this swirl effect," she said, gesturing with her fingers. "Really hits the spot. Got Martha to buy one, as well. She _loves_ it."

Martha's jaw dropped and she shot daggers at her friend. "Rose!"

"I really don't need to know this," mumbled the Doctor and downed the rest of his drink in one go.

"Oh, Doctor, don't be so repressed!" Rose said and hiccuped. "I know you Time Lords are above carnal-fleshy-body...things, and stuff. But me and Martha," she said, and gesturing wildly in the space between her and her friend, "we're _humans_, and it's not like we're getting any-"

"Rose!" said Martha, but she was giggling this time.

Rose waved dismissively and kept talking, "- and it's not like we can bring a bloke home to the TARDIS after a night out. One look at the console room and he'd forget all about the boffing."

"Yeah, he'd be all 'it travels in time, too? Can we go back and see...'" Martha wrinkled her nose. "Damn. I was gonna say something witty about sports, like, watch _this_ particularly amazing football goal by _that_ person. But the only sport I know any players of, really, is quidditch," she said and she and Rose laughed even harder.

"Not to mention that a certain Time Lord probably would've beaten the crap out of him before you'd even have a chance to say 'Do you have a condom?'," said Jack, and topped off Rose's glass.

The Doctor stilled his hand. "Maybe that's not such a good idea, Jack."

Rose snorted. "I might be a little drunk, but I still know it's none of your business how much I drink, Doctor. Especially not when I'm in my own home. You're not my dad, you know." Her hand flew up subconsciously to the necklace hidden beneath her jimjams. "Or my _grandfather_."

The Doctor scrunched up his face in confusion. "Your _what_? Why would I be your grandfather?"

"You're not!" said Rose, sticking her finger in his face.

"I'm aware!"

"Speaking of," said Lysandria in a calm tone. "How did the two of you meet? Martha told me all about the hospital on the moon when we had pudding on Grox Alpha. But I never did learn how Rose and you met, dear Doctor."

"He blew up my job!" Rose said happily and clinked her glass against the Doctor's. "And then we wrestled a little over an arm-"

"As you do," said the Doctor and clinked back.

"Yep! And he held my hand and the world spun." She made a face, steadying herself against the table. "Kinda like now, yeah? And then Mickey went all plastic-"

"Wait, what?" asked Martha.

"Oh, you know. Got eaten by a rubbish bin."

Jack shook his head, smiling. "Classic Mickey."

"Hear, hear, " said the Doctor and raised his glass. "To Mickey the Idiot!"

"Aaaanyway," mock-growled Rose, looking sternly at her interrupting friends. "I saved the Doctor's life and he asked me to come with him." She turned to him, speaking through puckered lips: "And you were so cute. All nervous, like, and sad 'cause I said no at first. Can't believe I said no! But…Mickey was clinging to me and I felt like I had, uhm, obligations. But you came back and asked me again." She beamed at him and he beamed back. "And I ran straight into the TARDIS and I've…I've never regretted coming with you. Not even once. Not even when..." She bit her lip, and took his hand, brushing her thumb over his knuckles. "Best decision of my life."

Smiling fondly at her, the Doctor gave her hand a little squeeze.

"He was so gruff back then," she added. "Right, Jack?"

"Uhm, 'was'? Isn't he still?" asked Jack, refilling the others' glasses.

"You could say that," mumbled Martha into her drink.

"Nah, or, yeah, suppose." Frowning, she regarded the Doctor for a moment. "He wasn't, though, after the regeneration. Was ethusi...emphusi...fuck. Enthusiastic! Happy! Such a little cutie, he was," she told them and pinched the Doctor's cheek. He raised his eyebrows, looking amusedly at her. "And he even did domestics. Had Christmas dinner with me, mum and Mickey. Always joined me when I visited mum. He even came with me to my cousin's wedding."

"Well," the Doctor drawled, looking down into his glass as he swirled the pink liquid around. "Closest thing I had to a family, you and Jackie."

"Yeah, she really loved mothering you, once you changed. Think she liked having a son."

"So...you're sort of like brother and sister, then?" asked Lysandria.

The Doctor, who'd just taken a sip, spurted out his drink over the table, sending Jack into such a fit of giggles he almost fell off his chair.

"Brother and sister," Jack echoed, repeatedly slamming his hand into the table and laughing.

"No, we're, uhm, we're…" Rose looked up at the Doctor, who was wiping his mouth with his hand. "Best mates. Right, Doctor? Best mates?"

The Doctor wrapped his free arm around her shoulders and, pulling her close, dropped a kiss on the top of her head as he hummed. 

* * *

The rest of the night went by without much drama. Jack made sure they always had something to drink and told them about his time stuck on Earth in linear time. Martha shared a few anecdotes from her travels with the Doctor and Lysandria told them all about her planet. The Doctor was mostly quiet but, sometime during it all, he slipped his hand into Rose's under the table, holding it until it was time to call it a night.

Heading towards the bedrooms, the five of them giggled as they walked down the corridor in a rather zig-zaggy fashion. Martha had managed to become the most drunk one, stumbling into her room, mumbled a 'good night' without even looking up from the floor. She was too busy eying it very carefully since she claimed it was moving.

Jack found the door to his old room but, lingering a little, looked at the Doctor who stood with Rose by her bedroom door. "So, Doc... Is it your Lucky Tux, after all?" he teased, smiling crookedly as he leaned against the doorjamb.

"I'm just tucking her in, Jack. Good night." Narrowing his eyes, he held up a finger warningly. "And no funny business, you hear?"

"Aye, aye!" Jack saluted and went into his room.

"I had a lovely evening. Thank you," said Lysandria, smiling at them but, even in Rose's inebriated state, she could see it was a bit forced and that the woman looked somewhat concerned. "Good night."

"Yeah, night." Rose went into her room and then the en-suite to pee and brush her teeth.

The Doctor didn't come inside until she was rinsing her mouth and she couldn't help but wonder if he and Lysandria had spoken about something. It was plain to see that the other woman fancied him. Well, they all did, come to think of it, didn't they?

Rose didn't ask him, though. She just walked up to him, turned around and folded down her collar. "Will you help me? I don't think I'd be able to work that clasp even after just one of those drinks."

The way his fingers brushed against her skin as he removed her necklace sent shivers down her whole body and she had to bite her lip hard not to moan. He found an empty box on her vanity and placed the necklace carefully inside it, running his fingers over the crystals, seemingly lost in thought for a second.

"So, how d'you think Sandy's working out, then?" she asked as she crawled into bed. "Is she companion material?"

"Oh, I don't know. She seems to be taking everything rather well, wouldn't you say? Seems like nothing would faze her." He sat down beside her.

"Maybe not. But," Rose said and pouted, "would she be the best, though?"

"Weeell, I've never been in a life-or-death situation with her. Kinda hard to know," he said in a teasing tone.

"Doctor?"

"Hm?"

"D'you still think _I'm_ the best?"

"Oh, Rose. What do you think?"

"I hope you do," she said, in a very small voice.

"Well, I usually only ask once and I've asked you to come with me how many times now?"

She gave him a tongue touched smile. "A lot."

"Exactly!" he said and then he stuck his hands underneath her duvet.

"What are you doing?" she asked, stiff and surprised and...oh. He was removing her slippers. Damn.

"As comfy as I'm sure they are to pad around in, I don't think you want to sleep in your bunny slippers, hm?"

"Guess not," she said, laughing breathily. "Doctor?"

"Yes?"

"I...uhm, I still..." She yawned, stretching out her whole body. "I still think you're the best, too."

Grinning, he tucked the duvet around her and said, "Good. Nuh-night, Rose."

"Night, Doctor."

She rolled over on her side with a content sigh and watched him head for the door between their bedrooms. It had been a long, long day, and she was asleep before he had even turned the handle.


	19. Staff

The following day everyone was much too hungover, even after taking fancy cures from the future, to do anything but lounge about in the TARDIS. Well, except Jack, who'd gone back to work. They decided to stay one more day and instead go out the next evening. Lysandria kept hogging the Doctor by speaking technobabble with him and therefore making it impossible for Martha and Rose to join in on the conversation. Although Lysandria couldn't hold a candle to the Doctor, she knew enough for him to really enjoy having someone to talk to about circuits and whatnot. When Rose realised the woman had impressed him so much with her knowledge that he let her assist him as he tinkered, she felt a strong urge to strangle Lysandria. Just a teensy tiny bit. That was supposed to be _their_ thing, after all.

After lunch, they strolled around Cardiff with the Doctor as their tour guide and Lysandria playing the eager tourist. Hanging on to his every word, she laughed at all the jokes he made and she constantly came up with excuses to touch him. It could be anything from removing lint from his sleeve, to steadying herself as she giggled by putting her hand on his arm and leaning in so close she was just about to rest her forehead against his chest. The worst part was that she never gave Rose dirty looks and and she was always so polite, so Rose couldn't do anything but watch and keep her growing dislike for the woman to herself.

By the time they had dinner at the same restaurant the Doctor had taken Blon, years earlier, Rose was seething. The Doctor was obviously enjoying the attention and got more and more animated as the evening progressed, egged on by Lysandria's enthusiasm. He didn't initiate the flirting, but he sure as hell responded to it. Rose was absolutely certain that if _she'd_ acted like Lysandria, the Doctor would've run the other way as far as his long Time Lord legs could take him. So, when it was time for pudding, Rose excused herself and went out with the excuse that she needed some air.

She was standing at Mermaid Quay, looking out over the water, thinking about how she'd sat almost exactly in this spot with Mickey a few years ago. Even though she'd only been stringing him along, she'd been jealous when he told her he met someone else. Now, here she was, fleeing a restaurant just because she couldn't stand watching some tart 'accidentally' brush her tits against the Doctor's arm for the fourth time. Karma really was a bitch, huh?

She sighed heavily as she pushed herself off the concrete wall she'd been leaning against and then returned to the restaurant. All she wanted was to go home, but she didn't want to be this petty, jealous person Lysandria's presence had reduced her to being. She tried to calm herself down by repeating, in her mind, that flirting didn't really mean anything-she flirted more crudely with Jack, after all-and that it was just in the Doctor's nature. He didn't seem to be aware of doing it half of the time, she reckoned. Besides, Lysandria would be returning home soon.

* * *

After coming home to the TARDIS, the Doctor quickly vanished into the bowels of the ship to do, well, something, and the others were left alone. They went to the library to chat, but barely half an hour went by before Rose mumbled something about a headache and disappeared to her room.

Martha smiled awkwardly at Lysandria. "Would you like to see more of the TARDIS?"

"I'd love to!"

"I'm not as familiar with her as the Doctor or Rose, but I know a few fun rooms," said Martha, as she walked with her guest towards one of the gardens.

As far as she knew, there were at least four gardens in the TARDIS, but this was her favourite. It had enormous chestnut trees, thousands of different kinds of wildflowers and a small waterfall splashing down into a koi pond. Before Rose had returned, Martha often retreated here after a particularly taxing adventure or when the Doctor had been too much of a prat.

"Does the Doctor retire to his room often during the evenings?" Lysandria asked, as she inspected a breed of daisies she'd never seen before.

"Depends," said Martha. She didn't want to share her experiences with the Doctor and Rose with this woman. To her it seemed like the Doctor enjoyed Lysandria's company, but didn't return the interest she showed him. He was just being polite to a woman who, because of him, was temporarily stranded on another planet. There was no doubt in Martha's mind that he would return Lysandria to her home planet, as soon as Rose felt ready to leave Cardiff.

"Depends on what, if I may ask?"

"His mood?" Martha guessed with a shrug.

"He seemed to be in good spirits today."

"Yeah, he did, yeah." Martha nodded and bent over to smell some exotic, deep purple flower.

"Rose was a bit subdued, though."

"Suppose..."

"Do they quarrel this much, usually?"

"Uhm. I guess?"

"He's very protective of her. It makes perfect sense that she grows tired of him," Lysandria said and smiled. "Will you show me another room now, please?"

Martha kept showing her around and when they found a billiards room, Lysandria clapped her hands in delight over the charming Earth sport she'd read about in her history books at school. Apparently Varhians were descendants of human colonists and the indigenous species of the planet, and Earth culture was something that interested most Varhians a great deal.

Lysandria asked Martha to teach her and Martha figured it was a good idea, since she was bored out of her skull and couldn't think of anything better to do. Lysandria had told her plenty of anecdotes from her life on her planet as well as from her travels off world during their tour and Martha had used all of her willpower not to fall asleep. It had been interesting at first, but after a while it felt more like a lecture than an actual conversation.

"This Mickey they spoke of yesterday… Who is he?" Lysandria asked, out of the blue, as she racked the balls.

"I've never met him, but he was Rose's boyfriend. He travelled with her and the Doctor for a while. Lives in the parallel world, now, and works for their Torchwood."

"Oh, how sad! Rose must miss him a lot."

"Yeah, she misses him and her mum...and the rest of her family, of course."

"Mm. I did wonder why she's so withdrawn, but I understand now. Must be awful having to leave your life behind like that. Would do a number on anyone!"

"This is where she wants to be, travelling with the Doctor," Martha told her, a little annoyed. She wasn't comfortable speaking about her friend when she wasn't in the room.

"Oh, I'm sure! This life seems very exciting. Am I correct to assume you usually save civilisations rather than spend time at tourist traps?"

"Yeah, we save the day, best the beasts and all that. Regular heroes, us."

"Wonderful! It must be very fulfilling. I think I would enjoy that kind of life." Lysandria regarded Martha for a moment, and then she took a step closer. "May I ask you something?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Do you think Rose would accept my presence on board? Long-term, I mean."

Martha's jaw dropped. Was the woman trying to weasel her way into their lives permanently? Martha quickly regained her composure and said in a polite tone: "You'd have to ask her. Besides, it's not up to her, really. It's the Doctor's ship."

"Oh, I see," Lysandria replied, nodding thoughtfully. "I was under the assumption that this was _their_ home. But she's just staff like you, then?"

"Sta..." Martha trailed off, and swallowed as her throat felt awfully dry all of a sudden. "No, we're the Doctor's _friends_. And if you want to know something about him or Rose, you'll have to ask them yourself." She raised an eyebrow at the other woman, who smiled apologetically.

"Of course. Come now, let us finish this game, my dear."

That's when Martha realised that during all this time, and they'd been alone for at least three hours, Lysandria hadn't asked her one single, personal question. Oh, she had countless of questions about the ship, the Doctor, Rose and the life the led, but Lysandria was completely uninterested in _Martha_. The employee. The babysitter.

Clenching her teeth, Martha grabbed a piece of chalk and applied it to the tip of her cue stick and was just about to tell Lysandria that this was the last game, when the Doctor walked in. He didn't say hello or ask them how they were doing or anything else polite. No, he merely said: "Where's Rose?"

Oh, of course he did. Was the only bloody thing on his mind, wasn't it?

"In her room," replied Martha, unable to keep the anger out of her voice. Not that he seemed to notice.

"Is she all right?"

"She's got a headache."

"Oh, I'll go check on her."

"No, you know what, Doctor? _I'll_ go check on her. I am going to be a doctor, after all. I think I can handle a headache," said Martha. "You can stay here and take care of _your_ guest, who _you_ invited along." She glared at the Doctor, who raised his eyebrows, staring at her in silence as though she was being the rude one, but Martha had had it and left without waiting for a reply.

The worst part, though, was that she couldn't really blame Lysandria. The woman had probably watched the Doctor and Rose, and just taken her cue from them. The Doctor didn't treat Martha well - this had become obvious to her as soon as Rose had returned. And Rose...? Martha thought back on their months together and realised that Rose had never really let her in. Sure, she had at least paid attention to her and asked about her life and listened as Martha told her about her family, studies and ex boyfriends. But Rose never really talked about herself. Facts, yes, but not the emotions connected to her memories. And she was rather bossy, wasn't she? Not as bad as the Doctor, but still... Was it any wonder someone thought that Martha was staff?

"I'm a valuable member of this team, and they can only treat me this way, if I allow them to," she said to herself, as she marched to Rose's room.

* * *

Rose had been in her room for several hours, when Martha barged in without knocking. The other woman looked very upset, so Rose threw her magazine aside and patted her bed for Martha to join her. She couldn't help but suspect that it was that Lysandria woman who'd done something rude; however, Martha just closed the door, put her hands on her hips and glared at Rose.

"Bloody good friend you are, then!"

"Wha'?"

"Leaving me alone with _Sandy_," Martha said, making a face as she said the other woman's name. "Do you know how boring it is to talk to a socialite from another planet? Here's a clue: I felt like tearing my bloody ears off. We have, like, nothing in common! And all she does is try to get me to tell her things about the Doctor. Like I'd actually do that! I've had to endure her company for hours alone, 'cause you... You're too chicken to show her who he really belongs to."

Rose opened her mouth to snap at Martha, but then she realised that her friend was right and, for that matter, that Rose would've been livid if Martha had done that to her. "Oh, I didn't think-"

"No, you didn't, did you? Too wrapped up in your own drama to think about anyone but yourself! You're not the only one who's been having a hard time, you know. The Doctor's been treating me like some bleeding babysitter! First with you and now with that one? I've had it!"

Rose's cheeks burned as though she'd been slapped so she ducked her head, mumbling: "I'm sorry."

Martha inhaled and exhaled loudly and then sat down beside Rose on the bed. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lash out. Especially not since _he's_the one I'm really upset with. I've just had it up to here," she said, holding her hand up. "Really worked myself up on the way over here."

"What happened?"

Martha sighed and shrugged. "That woman paid no interest in me whatsoever, said I was staff-"

"_What_?"

"Is she wrong to think that, then? You sure boss me around a lot, you and the Doctor. She just made me realise I don't really have a friend on this ship. 'Cause it took me _hours_ to notice she couldn't care less about me. I'm _that_ used to not matter."

"But...I'm your friend."

"Are you, though? 'Cause if you ask me, you're just like him," Martha said with a nod towards the door. "You talk and talk, but you never say anything. I know that you had a cat, that your middle name is Marion and that you masturbate loudly every night, apparently, but you never tell me how you feel about anything, really."

Rose opened her mouth to explain, but Martha held up her hand.

"No, _I'm_ talking now. And you've never asked me how I feel about having you here. You know, I pretty much hated your guts before I met you. Felt like I was living in your shadow and that the Doctor never even saw _me_. And now you're here to stay and it's obvious that I'll never be with the man I'm in love with. And I know you've noticed how he treats me, but you never say! Do you even care how that makes me feel?"

Rose tried to assure her that she cared very much, but she couldn't get a word in since Martha kept talking.

"Do you know how annoying it is to see you and the Doctor interact? You're either nauseatingly cute or you fight about _nothing_," she said, grimacing and flinging her arms out in exasperation. "What's your problem?! He loves you, you love him. God, how hard can it be?" Martha groaned, threw herself back against the headrest and then folded her arms over her chest.

"He doesn't," Rose said sulkily.

"Ugh! See?" Martha pointed at her. "I said all of that, and _that's_ what you choose to focus on? Honestly!"

"I'm sorry!" Rose shouted, but then she calmed down and muttered: "That's the last thing you said, so that's what-"

"Whatever. Look, he hugs you because he manages to land the TARDIS without falling to the floor or because he found a jar of jam in the cupboard or because it's bloody Tuesday. D'you know what he said to me once? 'Never waste time on a hug'."

"Really? Him?"

Martha re-folded her arms over her chest. "Yep."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know..."

"No, why would you? You never wanna talk about him. It's like that topic is verboten or something."

"But...I do talk about the Doctor. I talk about him all the time."

"Yeah, sure," Martha said sarcastically, nodding. "You talk about what you've done during your travels, you've talked a little about his personality. But you haven't talked about your relationship with him, how you feel about him... I mean, I assume you love him, 'cause that's what it looks like, but you've never really said. And you never ask how _I_ feel about him."

"I just figured it was sensitive, yeah? Like, I don't like to talk about me and the Doctor. I really don't. Was dumb of me to assume you're like that, too. I'm sorry," she said, almost too ashamed to look Martha in the eye. "But I have actually wondered about that, 'cause you've been handling it so well. God knows I wouldn't have. So if you'd like...? D'you, maybe, wanna tell me?"

"Not if you're just saying that 'cause you feel guilty," Martha said with a rather sullen expression on her face.

"I don't! Well, I do feel guilty. Feel awful, really. But I do want to know, Martha."

"Okay, then!" Martha huffed. "Well, I don't know what to say now."

The women mock-glared at each other and then they started laughing.

"You know what? I've got a great idea." 

* * *

The others were sitting in the galley nursing a cuppa each, talking about something that sounded insanely boring, when Martha and Rose walked in, still giggling.

The Doctor immediately lit up and turned towards them, wiggling his fingers. "Hello. Care to join us?"

"Nope! Martha and me are having a pyjama party in my room tonight." Rose grabbed a few beers from the fridge, whilst Martha rummaged through the cupboard to find a few bags of crisps and some biscuits.

The Doctor furrowed his brow in confusion. "And we're not invited?"

Rose laughed at him. "Nope! But I'm sure you'll have fun talking about... What were you talking about?"

Lysandria smiled politely. "How Maxx af Paxx, the least popular politician in Varmouille, which is the largest country on Varhia, is gaining a rather large following. His platform is very interesting, I'll have you know-"

"Eerhm, no thanks," said Rose. "We'll probably talk about boys. And since we only know, like, the Doctor and Jack, we'll probably be out of things to say in, oh, ten minutes." She turned to Martha. "So, a film, yeah?"

Martha nodded, arms full of treats. "Sounds good to me. C'mon, Rose. Let's leave 'em to it."

"Wait! You-you're gonna talk about Jack? And, er, _me_?" squeaked the Doctor, tugging at his ear.

"Well, yeah, for like ten minutes. Tops. And don't even try to eavesdrop, Doctor. I know how to soundproof my room, remember?" She waggled her eyebrows at him.

The Doctor turned slightly pink and suddenly found the contents of his teacup very interesting. "I remember," he mumbled.

"Well, night then. Oh, and Doctor? Unless there's an emergency, we don't want to be disturbed."

He nodded, still very occupied with watching his tea, and Rose felt a pang of guilt for excluding him but, no, she wouldn't give in. She and Martha needed this. 

* * *

Rose jumped up in the bed, opened a beer bottle and started munching on some crisps. "Well, c'mon, then!" she patted the mattress next to her.

"Are you sure you're okay with me eating in your bed?"

"Uhm," Rose said, mouth full of half-chewed crisps. "I'm already stuffing my face, and, uhm, have you seen my room?" she asked, gesturing around the bedroom.

Martha took a good look around. There were shoes everywhere; Rose didn't seem very good at hitting the hamper, as there was laundry spread all around it; her vanity was cluttered with all sorts of bottles, boxes and containers and a few tissues; there were magazines all over the floor and on her nightstand there was a banana peel and an old tea cup.

"I see your point," Martha said, holding up the peel.

"Oh, that's not mine. Bloody Doctor leaving those things all over the place," Rose said and then sighed.

"So... Eating bananas in your bed is a common occurrence, then?"

"No, he just tucks me in sometimes and then he gets hungry."

Martha snorted. "You do hear yourself, right?"

"Look... He's alien, yeah? You can't apply human logic to him. Him eating bananas in my bed whilst I fall asleep isn't romantic at all. Or," she shuddered whilst sticking out her tongue, "paternal. It's just Doctor."

"He's never eaten any bananas in my bed..."

"And he's never told me about Gallifrey, so... When you started talking about his planet-" She shook her head slowly, running her tongue over her teeth. "I thought, here's this gorgeous, smart woman who's known him not even a year, and he's already opened up _that_ much to her, and...well..." she trailed off and shrugged.

"Oh..."

They shared a moment in silence, sipping on their beers, and then Rose said, "You know, he's a git, yeah, but he likes you. He would've dropped you off by now, if he didn't. He tells you to do things 'cause he trusts you. I'm not saying you should accept him being rude to you, 'cause you shouldn't, but don't ever think it's 'cause you're not good enough."

"I don't. Well, I used to, but not anymore. I had to meet you to realise, though."

"What do you mean?"

"See, he painted you like a goddess. Infallible. And I tried so hard to prove myself. But now I know, you're just like me. Just a normal person. He loves you, so it won't ever matter how good I am. I'll never be what he needs...and...I've come to realise...he'll never be what I need."

Martha put down the bag of crisps and her empty beer bottle on the nightstand, turned over on her side and propped up herself up on her elbow, resting her head in her hand. "I didn't get it. Took me a long time, but now I do."

"Wha'?"

"He's not human."

Rose laughed. "Tell me about it."

"No, listen. You just said, we can't apply human logic to him, and that's what I did. I just saw this gorgeous bloke that flirted with me. So I flirted back and...well, I pushed too far, I think. We'd barely known each other for a day when we had to share a bed. And I thought that, _oh yeah_," she said and raised her eyebrows suggestively whilst grinning, "here's my shot. Things are gonna happen."

"Barely a day? Oh, my god. Did he bolt?"

"No, but he was grumpy and talked about you."

Rose hid her face in her hands as she groaned. "Oh, no. He's such a git!"

"I was a bit offended, honestly, 'cause any bloke I know would've been up for it after all that flirting. But he's alien. He doesn't function like that. And I just behaved like I would had he been any other bloke, like, just acting on my feelings and not really thinking about the future. 'Cause you don't, do you? Not when you've just met. But he wouldn't give himself to someone unless he knew it was long term, would he?"

Rose licked her lips, fiddling with her earring. "Well, he would. If she's amazing enough."

"Oh, right. I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

"S'okay."

"Rose, I really don't think he slept with Reinette. He's been-"

"Hey, stop talking about me, now," Rose mock-admonished with a smile. "Wasn't this supposed to be about you?"

"Okay...yeah...if you're sure?" she asked and Rose nodded. "Well, I've realised a lot of things since you came back. I want to be a doctor-I'm _gonna_be a doctor-and I think I'd like to get married and have kids one day. So, I've moved on. Well, still have some lingering feelings, of course, think a part of me will always love him. But I just don't see how it would work out, even if he did fancy me. Which he so clearly doesn't. So, this is just a sabbatical for me. I'm gonna save the universe a few more times, and then I'll go home and continue on with my life."

"No! Or, I mean, of course you should do that, if that's what you want. But I'll miss you!" Rose said and pouted.

"I have a feeling that you'll be able to visit me. You've got him wrapped around your finger, you have," Martha said with a smile. "And if I'm free, I could still join you on a trip now and then, I reckon."

"I'd like that. But...how many are 'a few more times'?" Rose asked, biting her thumbnail. She'd grown used to having Martha around and she really didn't want her to leave so soon.

"Oh, I'll stay for three more months, at least. Think that will make it a year, or so. That's what people usually do, right? Take a year off from their studies?"

"Suppose... Stupid Time Git, driving you away."

"This was never permanent for me. I can't imagine growing old, living in the TARDIS, away from my family."

"You must think I'm insane. For staying, I mean. Giving up a human life."

Martha squinted, thinking. "I'm not even gonna pretend I understand your relationship. And if you'd been anyone else, I'd tell you to get out. 'Cause he's not treating you right. And I'm not talking about him not shagging you, although he should do that, too," she said and grinned. "But...I don't know. On one hand, you don't let him push you around. On the other hand... Doesn't he just drive you spare? You deserve so much better."

"We both do." She turned to her side with a mischievous grin. "You know what? I know the TARDIS is on our side. The three of us should make a pact. He's not bossing us around anymore, yeah?"

"Yeah!" Martha opened up two more bottles and handed one to Rose. "We should call him out on all his bullshit and make the TARDIS hide all of his bananas when he doesn't behave. We're much too kind to him."

"Definitely," Rose agreed and clinked her bottle against Martha's. "Here's to that, mate!"


	20. Giving Up

_"I can't believe he would cheat on you like this. He's a right bastard, he is. He's lucky I don't-"_

"Mickey, stop."

"I could take him. I could. Skinny twat."

"He's not my boyfriend, Mickey."

"Don't give a toss how you're labelling it, Rose. He cheated and he deserves a good ol' knuckle sandwich, if you ask me. I would never treat you like that. You know I wouldn't. Don't get why you stick with him. You should be with someone who loves you. Who treats you right."

"What, like you?"

"Don't need to go and look at me like that. I'm a good boyfriend, I am!"

"Yeah... I know... Look, Mickey. I'm not with the Doctor. We're just mates, nothing else. But that doesn't change anything. I love you, yeah, but not like that. Not anymore. You're a good-no, a great-bloke. But sometimes you need to know when to give up, all right?"

"Oh, yeah? Well, maybe I'm not alone in that."  


* * *

__

"We need to go home, sweetheart. It's been four and a half hours."

"Please mum, just a little bit longer."

"He's not coming back, Rose."

"You don't know that! I've seen what he can do. He'll come for me. He wouldn't just leave me here. Not when... He wouldn't."

"He said you'll never see him again, sweetheart. There's nothing to be done. He wouldn't want you to sit here on a cold beach for hours, would he?"

"He's wrong. You're all wrong. I'm not leaving. Five and a half hours, he said. Five and a half. Just one more hour and if he's not here by then, I'll leave."

"God knows you're stubborn, Rose. And it's a good trait, it is. Just ask your father and me. But sometimes it's good to know when to give up."  


* * *

__

"You need to move on, Rose."

"Mickey, stop. We've been through this. I love you, but-"

"I don't mean with me. I got the message loud and clear when you ran out after kissing me. But you should at least try and date someone. What about that bloke at work? What's his name? The one who's making moon eyes at you all day long."

"Henry."

"Yeah, what about him, then?"

"I don't want Henry."

"So, what? You gonna be a nun for the rest of your life?"

"I've not even been here for five months! Leave me alone."

"Five days, five months, five years. Who cares? Won't change the fact that he won't risk collapsing the multiverse for some girl. Even if that girl's Rose Marion Tyler. It's time you gave up on the Doctor."

* * *

__

"Oh my god, dad! How did you find me?"

"Mickey told me-"

"Why would you risk...? Oh, my god. Has something happened to-to Tony? Mum?"

"No, they're fine. Look, there's not much time, Rose. You need to run. They're on to you. They're using... Blimey, Rose. They're using sick weevils to sniff you out. The closer they get, the worse they become."

"What?! That's-that's just..."

"I know. Was Henry who told me. I'm not even supposed to know. They've... Listen, they've changed the objective. You're to be shot on sight. You need to run, Rose."

"I'm... Oh, all right. But how?"

"Mickey told me about your backup plan. You should do it. I found your emergency pack, got all your bags, so you have everything you need now. Just write that message and I'll drive to Stonehenge and make sure it's in the right spot."

"But...mum. Can't I see her again?"

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. We need to move. I know a safe place. I'll just jot down the coordinates for that Jack and I'll drive you there."

"No! You'll get sick."

"It's worth it. I want you safe. We all do."

"But I..."

"Rose. I'm serious. We need to move. Now."

"Yeah, 'course. Thank you, dad. Thank you so much."

"Anytime, sweetheart. Oh, and Jacks wanted me to tell you that she loves you and that you shouldn't give up. You'll find him again. She knows you will."

* * *

Despite being the world's biggest sleepyhead, Rose woke up before Martha. Her friend was snoring lightly, curled up on her side with one hand under the pillow and the other clutching the duvet to her chest. Rose's heart swelled a little, thinking about how good friends they had become after all. It could just as easily have gone the other way and, had their roles been reversed, Rose knew she would never have been able to handle it as gracefully as Martha.

She could learn a lot from her new friend, she reckoned. Martha was not satisfied with her situation and had decided to move on. Not give up, mind you, just choosing something else-something that was better for her-and that took strength. Rose was in a similar situation, but she knew that the Doctor and his magnificent time ship were what she wanted. Linear life on Earth held no appeal, as far as Rose was concerned.

It wasn't hard for Rose to challenge the Doctor or stand up for what she believed in, but when it came to their unspoken boundaries, she had given the Doctor final say without questioning it. However, letting him set the pace obviously didn't work well for her and she knew she would regret it if she didn't at least try to move things forward. Rose Tyler knew what she wanted, she didn't give up, and if she was going down, she'd at least go down fighting.

* * *

Tonight Jack were taking them all out, so Rose spent the entire day mustering up courage to do something about her relationship with the Doctor. Lysandria had kept flirting with the Doctor and Rose couldn't stand idly by any longer, so she was finally going to make sure that git of a Time Lord knew she still wanted him. If he didn't want her in return? Well, then she'd have to try her hardest to move on emotionally and be content in being just best mates.

"As long as I have you, I'll be happy," she said to the TARDIS, stroking the wall fondly and getting a gentle hum as a reply.

Rose knew the Doctor never really cared about how she dressed, but she still took great effort in getting ready. Her little, black dress was tight and had a plunging neckline, her shoes made her legs and bum look spectacular and she had managed to coax her locks into a perfectly tousled just-got-shagged 'do. The only thing missing was her necklace. She grabbed it from the box on the vanity and went to the door leading into the Doctor's bedroom. Just as she stepped into his room, he got out of his en suite, wet and dressed in nothing but a towel. Oh, my. Perfect. Really. Just _perfect_.

"Oh," he said and stopped, staring at her. "Ehm. Rose?"

This was the most amount of Doctor skin she'd ever seen-unless you counted life-and-death-situations where she always was too preoccupied to take proper notice-and it was distracting, to say the least. She decided to act like this was completely normal, instead of drooling over his very attractive... No, she couldn't focus on that.

"Yeah?" she said, very, very casually.

"Ever heard of knocking? I'm not, erhm," he gestured up and down, "decent."

"More than decent, if you ask me." She grinned, tongue poking out between her teeth, as she noticed the slight colour change of his cheeks. "Besides," she continued before he got a chance to start his Doctorly sputtering, "sort of rich coming from you, yeah? You never, ever knock. And I seem to remember you watching me bathe enough times to make my mum wanna slap ya."

He swallowed audibly, looking like he wouldn't be surprised if her mum had found a way to slap herself across the void. "Jackie knows about...that?"

She giggled. "Nah. Just teasing."

"Oh," he breathed, looking very relieved.

"Why? D'you think there's something inappropriate about you feeling _that_ at home in my bathroom?" she asked and smiled innocently at him.

"Nope! Not at all. Not one iota. There are always a generous amount of bubbles hiding your various bits and...everything," he said, face now definitely a lovely shade of pink. "S'just...I suppose someone could-" He cleared his throat. "Did you, erhm, want something?"

"Mhm," she said, sauntering up to him, and his eyes grew wider for each step she took. "Just wanted some help with this. It's all right if I wear it whenever, yeah?"

She held up the necklace against her cleavage, suppressing a grin as he looked everywhere but at her. Hm. This was interesting. He was never this flustered, usually, no matter how much skin she showed. Could his lack of pinstriped armour have something to do with it?

"Yep. Sure. That's...mhm. Yep. That's what it's for, isn't it? To be worn. By a woman." He scratched his neck. "...or a man. I don't judge. No judginess on my part. Nope."

"Judginess?"

"Weeeell, it's a word. Probably. Somewhere, at least. Or it will be, someday. Maybe I invented it right at this moment. Spread the word by spreading the word, Rose Tyler! Today was the day 'judginess' was born." He grinned manically, but then his smile died and he stared sheepishly at her for a few seconds. "So, would you like me to help you with that, then?" He grabbed the necklace, spun her around and helped her in record time.

"Thanks." She beamed, looking coyly over her shoulder.

"Right. No problem. Glad to be of service."

"I think it works well with this dress, don't you reckon?" She took a few steps back so he could get a good look, smoothed her hands down her sides, to her waist and hips, doing a half-twirl.

She got a swooping feeling in her stomach as he made a halfhearted noise in the back of his throat and shrugged. She knew that it was nothing but a deflection tactic and that he would have complimented her had he not been affected by her appearance at all.

"Oh, I wanted to thank you," she told him, stepping closer again. "You know, for letting us stay. I'm really enjoying myself. I know you must be going stir crazy, standing still for so long."

Biting her lip, she looked up and him and smiled, and then she wrapped her arms around his neck. Ignoring her racing heart, she burrowed her face into his naked chest as she hugged him tightly. Oh. That was...oh. Yes. That was a brilliant idea and he smelled good as well. She breathed in deeply, filling her lungs with his scent, and let out a happy sigh. He shivered as her breath hit his skin and she held him more closely, savouring the moment.

"Ehrm," he replied, and she felt him raise his arms, hovering a few inches from her before settling around her back. "You, er, you're very...welcome." He awkwardly patted her a few times, but then he splayed his hands across her back so she kept still, smiling.

"I really miss my mum, see," she said, lips ghosting over his skin as she spoke, "and even though Jack obviously isn't a replacement, he's still family, yeah? So," she pulled back, hands on his shoulders and her hips against his, looking him straight in the eye, "thank you, Doctor. Means a lot."

"Yeah, well, it's the least I could do, really," he said, looking disappointingly sober. "You only have me and Jack now, after all."

"And Martha!"

"And Martha."

"Just wish I could tell mum. She must be so worried about me. She'd be really glad I found you. Told me I shouldn't give up." Letting her hands fall from his shoulders to her sides, she let them skim over his torso-all the way down to where his towel hung from his hips-as she stepped away. It was the lightest of touches and it was over in a second, but her fingertips kept tingling from the contact. "Anyway, thanks again!"

Resisting the urge to see his reaction, she turned around and bounced back to her room. After closing her door, she leaned against it as her knees gave way and slid down to the floor. She'd never been that bold before. Not even close. 

* * *

The place Jack brough them to was amazing: the drinks were gorgeous; the atmosphere exhilarating; the music was great and they had been dancing for ages. Not the Doctor, though. He'd been sitting patiently in their booth, watching their drinks. Sometimes one or more of them joined him but everyone, Lysandria included, seemed to prefer writhing to the music. She had tried to persuade the Doctor to dance by moving her hips enticingly in front of him, as she reminded him of how they had danced when they first met. He had politely declined. Rose wasn't surprised and she'd had to hide the smug smile playing on her lips. He always tried his best to avoid the dance floor in places like these.

However, when a slow song started playing and Martha hooked her arms around Jack's neck, Rose decided to take a chance. She walked up to the Doctor and held out her hand, wiggling her fingers. He smiled but shook his head so she pouted and exaggeratedly fluttered her eyelashes and, giggling at her, he let himself be led out on the dance floor. She cast a quick glance at Lysandria, who was sitting with him at their table, and noticed her frowning slightly. Feeling rather immature, Rose couldn't help but enjoy that a great deal.

The Doctor held one of Rose's hands in his, placed her other on his shoulder and held her around her back, high up across her shoulder blades. Well, that wouldn't cut it.

"That night at Firemoon Peninsula…" She slid her hand up his arm to loop it around his neck and used her other hand to wrap his arms around her, mimicking the position they had when they danced on her birthday. "It was..." She licked her lips, looking up at him and feeling nervous. That memory had warmed her many lonely nights, but she wasn't sure how much she dared to say. His face was unreadable and his eyes dark, so she lost her nerve and didn't finish her sentence.

She rested her head against his shoulder, nose almost touching the skin of his neck. He felt a little stiff at first, but then he relaxed against her and held her closer. She sighed and hummed contentedly, letting her fingers graze the hairline of his neck.

Swaying together to the mellow song, Rose slowly moved her face closer to the crook of his neck until her nose was pressed up against him. Feeling daring, a little drunk and very determined to move things forward, she brushed her lips against his skin. Her heart beat so hard and fast she was sure he could feel it, even through his many layers. God, she was nervous. He didn't react, however, and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

She drew in a shaky breath and, deciding to try again, a little bolder this time, she ghosted her lips up the column of his neck until she reached his jawline. The movement was swift and light as a feather and, thanks to her heels, she didn't need to tilt her head very much to do it. The slight stubble touched the sensitive skin of her lips for a mere second but, combining that sensation with the feeling of how their bodies were tightly pressed together, she couldn't help but shiver.

He squeezed her a bit harder, but then he pulled back. Smiling, he looked down at her and said: "I think it's time to go back to our table, hm?"

Her very dry mouth hung open in a way she was sure made her look endlessly stupid as she nodded and let him lead her back. Goddamn it. That was a gentle rejection, if she ever saw one. Lysandria was all over the Doctor as soon as they sat down, chatting as though they'd been gone for an hour instead of a couple of minutes. The song they danced to was still playing and Rose saw a tiny spark of triumph in the other woman's eyes.

Jack and Martha turned up not long after, looking flushed and happy from the dancing.

"Think it's time for another round," said Jack. "What's your poison?"

"No, please, let me," said Lysandria. "I've never placed an order in an Earth bar, before. Would that be all right?" The others nodded. "So what's your poison?" she parroted and winked at the Doctor, looking pleased with herself for using an Earth phrase, but then she quickly held up her hand. "No, wait! Let us make a game out of it. I bet I will get all of you drinks you'll love. How's that?"

"Sure. But I don't think that'll be very hard. I'll drink anything," said Jack and flashed her a movie star grin.

"Excellent!" she said and clapped her hands. Then she turned to the Doctor and smiled sweetly. "There's just one problem. I have no Earth money in my possession and they don't accept credit sticks here, correct? I will pay you back, of course, dear Doctor."

"Oh, right!" The Doctor searched his pockets until he found a handful of notes and pressed them into her palm.

"Thank you," she said and then she leaned in and, cupping his cheek with her free hand, gave him a big, wet kiss. On the lips. For at least a few seconds.

The Doctor sat stiffly, eyebrows raised and eyes wide open, as the others' jaws hit the table. Martha let out a loud gasp and Rose had to tightly grip her seat to prevent herself from flying at Lysandria's throat. After releasing his bottom lip with a small but audible moan, Lysandria gave him another quick peck and rushed to the bar to inspect the drink menu.

It was as though none of them really knew how to react, not even the Doctor. They sat quietly, staring into their empty glasses, at the pulsating crowd on the dance floor, at their fingernails, at that one guy at the bar who looked like someone famous… Anything but at each other.

It was Jack who finally broke the silence. "Have I missed something here, Doc?"

"Er," the Doctor replied and scratched his neck. "I suppose she's an affectionate young lady?"

"Don't play dumb. She's drop dead gorgeous and could have any guy in here. She kissed you for a reason," Jack told him.

"Is she? I hadn't noticed," said the Doctor.

"You don't notice that someone's gorgeous?" said Jack, showing him just how much he doubted that by quirking an eyebrow.

"Not really, no. I'm a Time Lord. Bodies are just vessels. We see someone's essence, their inner beauty." He shifted a little in his seat, looking away. "As cheesy as it sounds..."

Rose snorted. "So that's why you're always snogging really gorgeous women, then?"

"I'm not snogging anyone! They're snogging _me_," he said, in a rather high-pitched voice.

"But you enjoy it, yeah?" she said, and raised an eyebrow.

"What? No! Well, sometimes it can be a pleasant experience, but no. Not this time," he said, looking increasingly annoyed.

"No? But it's not like you ever try to stop them, is it? I've seen you kissing female lifeforms a few times, now, and you always just stand there like a git. Is it so hard to just stop them?"

"Usually when I don't reciprocate, they stop all by themselves without me having to make a scene," he replied in a curt tone.

"Make a _scene_?"

"Well, yes. Some ladies don't take public rejection very well. By being passive I let them down kindly, and they can step away without being too embarrassed."

"So that's what you did to me, then?" she asked. "When _Cassandra_ used my body to kiss you. You just stood there, letting it happen. Were you just waiting for me to stop being disgusting and let you go?"

The Doctor opened and closed his mouths a few times, before shutting it with a click. He cleared his throat and said, in a clinical tone: "I was cataloguing the chemicals in your saliva."

"You what?!"

"I assessed that you were acting out of character and gathered that you accidentally inhaling a love pollen, ingesting an aphrodisiac, being touched by an Amorisian or bitten by a Quarklish sex fly, or-well, you get my point-would be a plausible explanation. So, I tried to find traces of something unusual in your system."

"Did you find anything interesting?" she asked and she could feel poor Martha and Jack, who were trapped between Rose and the Doctor in the booth, doing their absolute best to try and melt into the vinyl of the bench seats.

"I didn't find anything alarming," he told her and her fingers itched to slap that stupid, neutral mask off his face.

"And what if you had? Would you have stopped me then? You _are_ capable of avoiding a kiss if you don't want one, right?" she asked and used all of her self-control to keep meeting his eye instead of looking away and falling back on one of her nervous habits. Of course he was, she knew that. He had, after all, avoided kissing her more times than she had fingers to count them on.

He stared at her for several heartbeats, angry dimples forming in his cheeks.

"Well?" she prompted.

"Yes, I am," he replied, not breaking his gaze.

"Here we are!" Lysandria said and put down a tray with five drinks on their table. She snuggled up against the Doctor, smiling sweetly at him, and gave him a quick peck on the corner of his mouth. However, he was still staring at Rose, seemingly unaware of the fact that Lysandria was back. "What did I miss?" she asked them.

"Nothing much," Rose replied, staring back at the Time Prat to make sure he would understand her. "I was just telling them that I've had enough and that I'm going home. I'm sure you chose a perfectly lovely drink for me, but I don't want it anymore. It's all yours."

She got up and started walking towards the door, but had barely taken more than five steps when she felt the Doctor's cool fingers wrap around her wrist.

"I don't want you to walk back to the TARDIS alone."

"What? You think I'm gonna be eaten by a weevil?" she snarked. "It's like a ten minute walk!"

"I'll walk you back," he told her firmly.

"All right then." She tore her wrist from his grip and started making her way through the crowd. 

* * *

Lysandria looked bemusedly at Martha and Jack, her mouth forming a pouty, little 'o'. She handed out their drinks out of reflex and took a sip of her own. It was fruity, but a bit sour, and utterly delicious. She spent quite some time chatting up the bartender so he could help her mix the perfect drinks for her new friends. She didn't remember the names, but The Doctor's was banana flavoured, Jack had gotten something with whiskey, Martha's tasted of coffee and cream and Rose's was pink and frothy. She felt so pleased with the choices and had looked forward to the others' reactions, only to return to find her friends drowning in an atmosphere thick with tension.

"What happened?" she asked Jack, who looked rather angry with her.

"Are you seriously asking me that? You do know the Doctor's in love with Rose, right?"

"Yes, of course. I'm excellent at reading people, and it's plain as day. But since she doesn't love him back, I thought maybe he'd like some help moving on," she replied.

To her surprise, Jack laughed at her. "Funny. Didn't peg you for stupid, sweetheart."

"Beg your pardon? I've watched them interact for days, now, and she is aware of his feelings and, whilst she likes the attention and uses his weakness for her to get her way, she does not return them," she explained. "She's always annoyed with him and acts childishly and as soon as you, Jack-and I find it very insensitive of you to always bring it up-mentions the Doctor's affections, she gets very uncomfortable. I'm certain she views him as a brother."

It felt good to get that off her chest. She had noticed how upset the Doctor got every time Jack teased him and how Rose tensed up or tried to change the subject, but it wasn't her place to say anything about it. Granted, Jack was very charming and she thought she could enjoy his company had things been different, but she was very put out by his disregard for his friends' feelings.

"Okay, I know Rose and the Doctor really well, and so does Martha. Trust us. Those two love each other like crazy. They're just being morons."

"But... I've made my intentions clear to Rose and she did not object!"

Jack managed to look amused, annoyed and confused at the same time. "Kinda doubt that."

"What _are_ your intentions, exactly?" asked Martha, looking like she'd been wondering that for a while.

"Well," Lysandria said and smoothed out her dress. She was starting to feel rather awkward. "I've led a...frivolous life, and I enjoy it very much, but I would give it up for the Doctor. I've never met a more suitable match. I'm not one for settling down, so travelling the universe with a life partner like that...? It would be more than I've ever dared to dream. Utter perfection, really. You understand, don't you? I can tell both of you love him dearly."

"Yeah, sure. _That_, I get, " said Jack. "But what did you say to Rose?"

"I told her that I wanted to be beautiful for the Doctor, which implies..." She raised her eyebrows and gestured with her hand, as the others nodded that they understood. "And she didn't care at all. She just said 'whatever' or something of that kind, and let me out of her room."

"Okay," Jack said, leaning back and looking tired. "I guess it's an easy mistake to make. But, really, Sandy. Those two love each other. Right, Martha?"

"Well," the other woman said, looking a bit uncomfortable. "I really don't like discussing it when they're not here. Or when they _are here_, for that matter. But," she said, when Jack looked pointedly at her, "yeah. They're disgustingly in love. But I think...well...I think Rose doesn't think he returns her feelings, so she's been a bit... And I guess the Doctor doesn't know, either? God, it's so hard, 'cause they never say! I just wish one of them could do something about it! I swear! The way they act's gonna give me ulcers!"

Lysandria hid her face in her hands. "Oh, I've been such a fool. Rose must hate me! I need to apologise."

Jack stopped her as she tried to stand up. "Not right now, okay? Give them some time. Let's stay here and enjoy yourselves for a while before returning to the TARDIS, okay?" 

* * *

During their way out, Rose had became increasingly upset and as soon as they were outside and away from the loud music, she turned to snarl at him: "You're such a twat, Doctor."

He had the gall to look offended. "Excuse me?"

"You're leading that poor woman on," she said, already a bit out of breath from rushing towards the TARDIS. "How do you think she's gonna feel now, then? Or are you gonna follow through with your flirting?"

"No! You know I don't do that! I don't do relationships or domestics or any of it."

"No? Then you're toying with her emotions, _that's_ what you're doing." She furrowed her brow, shaking her head at him. "What kind of person _does_that?"

"I'm-"

"I don't care what your excuse is! You just don't do that! It's _heartless_!" she yelled at him and she kept yelling until she stopped being aware of what she was saying, but she went on and on about him being an insensitive prick, that he only wanted to play by his own rules and poor Lysandria-and god knows what else-and he let her. Of course he did. He wasn't as thick as he pretended to be. He knew what this was really about.

She didn't stop until she realised they were standing outside her bedroom door. Panting and still glaring, she turned towards him but she was out of things to say.

"She kissed _me_," he stated, face carefully blank.

"Yeah, she did. Three times. And you didn't stop her."

"Did it look like I was reciprocating?"

"Guess not," she mumbled.

"Did you ever stop to think that _maybe_ I don't particularly enjoy all these women forcing themselves on me?"

She ducked her head, groaning inwardly. Was she any better than those women? She might not have tried to kiss him, but she had definitely crossed his boundaries just because _she_ wanted things to change. Oh, god. How thick was she?

"Uhm..." she said, too humiliated to be capable of saying much else.

"You know what, Rose? Next time you have questions about something that happened in the past or you have a problem with my conduct, I would appreciate it if you would speak to me in private instead of making a spectacle of yourself."

For a split second she could swear that his eyes flashed blue, making her rememeber the day when they had met her dad, the reapers had showed up and the Doctor and she had had their first real, and awfully domestic, row. He had thought that she was only using him and his time ship so she could save her father and tonight she could see the same pain in his eyes, as though he couldn't believe how she-his Rose Tyler-could hurt him so.

"I'm sorry," she said, meaning it with all her heart. "I really am." She looked up at him with teary eyes, but this time he didn't cup her cheek, smile or hug her.

"Yeah. Good night." He turned on his heel and stalked away, vanishing through some door which magically appeared in the wall.

Stifling a sob, she opened her own door and walked inside her bedroom. Moving towards the en suite, she ripped off her clothes, removed her jewellery and dropped it on her vanity and as she stepped through the door she noticed that the TARDIS had already drawn her a bath.

"At least I've got you, girl," she whispered, telepathically sending waves of gratitude to the time ship.

He had told her now, at least. Straight to her face, at that. He didn't do relationships or domestics or any of it-and no wonder, considering how she had been acting.

Maybe it was time for her to give up, after all...


	21. Want

Rose couldn't sleep. Granted, the long hot bath helped her calm down and relax somewhat, but she still kept tossing and turning for far too long. Her eyes refused to stay shut and repeatedly flitted to the door leading to the Doctor's room. She was just as nervous that he would walk through it, as she felt increasingly bad for each passing minute that he didn't. It was pure agony and eventually she couldn't stand it anymore and gave up. Venturing into the hallways would be an escape as well as a search. God, she was confused.

She climbed out of bed, put on her slippers and padded to the galley. She reckoned a warm glass of milk could help. It wasn't actually something she had ever tried herself, but she had seen it in films and she was at the point where any excuse to get out of bed was good enough for her.

Walking into the galley, she was met by the sight of Martha, Jack and Lysandria having a snack and a chat. They were still dressed up, but the women had kicked off their shoes and Martha rested her feet in Jack's lap, looking very pleased as he kneaded her soles. Rose said hello, managed to smile somewhat brightly and then walked to the fridge to find some milk. Oh. It was milk from the purple cows on 65CX/12z. It wasn't unpleasant in tea or coffee, but she wouldn't drink it on its own.

"We're out of milk," she said to no one in particular. "Good, ol' Earth milk, I mean. From regular cows. I'll just make some tea instead, suppose. Anyone want a cuppa?"

"I could go for one, thanks," said Martha, looking at her with the softest expression. They all did, come to think of it, but none of them asked what they wanted to know, so Rose pretended not to notice, humming to herself whilst making the tea.

After handing Martha her cup-a big, burgundy one with white text which read 'proper doctor' that Rose had made her in a make-your-own shop on some asteroid market-she joined them at the table. She did not want to talk about the Doctor, but she wouldn't mind listening to some of Jack's outrageous Time Agent anecdotes to help her get her mind off things.

"What were you saying?" she asked Jack, since the others had grown awfully quiet. "Something about lube, Jhalazz and a rolling pin?"

"Oh, right," he said, getting the hint. "Well, there I was, in the middle of the parliament on the worst day possible, when Jhalazz, the sneaky bastard, whipped out..."

She didn't listen as much to the word as she did to his voice. Jack had so much charisma and being with him was like getting a vitamin injection. She curled her fingers around the cup and pulled her legs up, hugging her knees and leaning her chin against one arm. God, he was good at this, she thought. He gave all of them equal amounts of attention, shifting his eyes from one woman to the other, as he talked about things Rose never knew one could do with a rolling pin. Had it been anyone else talking, she wouldn't have wanted to know, but Jack somehow made it charming.

Rose laughed in all the right places; it felt true and bubbly and she actually almost forgot why she was up in the middle of the night in the first place, but then _he_ walked in. She slumped down, just a little, bringing the teacup up to her face so she could hide behind it.

"Ah. You're all here," he said, rubbing his neck and looking somewhere behind them. "There might have been an insubstantial mishap in the, er, pan-dimensional stabilisation fuse box, that turned out to be rather substantial. The mishap, that is. Well, the fuse box as well. Rather important bit, that. Aaanyway, we're stuck on Earth for a few days. Well, I say a few, but it could be more than that. A week, at the most. Or slightly longer." He tugged a little at his ear. "I'd like to park in your office, Jack."

"What about Sandy?" asked Martha.

"Oh, right. Sandy." The Doctor nodded and swept his eyes over his companions. "Well, suppose I could fix Jack's Vortex Manipulator-temporarily, though, Jack-if you want to go home."

"No, I'm quite all right where I am, thank you," she said, smiling politely. "I'm treating this as a lovely holiday, and I'm sure there are many things left in Cardiff for me to discover."

"Yes. Good. Well, I'll be..." He gestured with his hand over his shoulder. "Er, Jack? Care to join me? I'm in need of some assistance."

He let his gaze linger at Rose for a moment, and she thought she saw something soft and sad in his eyes, but then he spun around and left.

"Sure thing, Doc. Ladies," Jack said, and winked at them.

After he left, Rose finished her tea so she could leave as well. She didn't much fancy spending time with the woman who repeatedly had pressed her lips against the Doctor's. However, just as she was about to stand up, Lysandria began to speak and Rose stayed where she was.

"Rose. I want you to know that I am deeply sorry for the way I have acted. I have made you feel uneasy in your own home, and that is a very serious offense in my culture. I assure you, I was not aware of your feelings for the Doctor. Had I been, I wouldn't have flirted with him in such a manner. I do hope you can forgive me."

Rose blinked a few times, staring at the other woman. "Uhm…"

That was unexpected. She had been prepared for snarls and insults and, to be completely honest, maybe a hissy fit as well once Lysandria realised that the Doctor didn't do blond and blue-eyed socialites after all. However, they were in the same boat, all three of them, and there was only one person with whom they should be upset.

"You have nothing to apologise for. The Doctor and I aren't like that."

"But...you want to be," said Lysandria, eying her intently.

"We're just mates. Best mates," Rose said, and she wondered how many times, and to how many different people, she had said that. Everywhere they went, everyone assumed they were a couple. At first it had been embarrassing because she wanted it to be true, then it became exciting because she started to believe he wanted it too, and now... Well, now it mostly hurt.

Lysandria nodded slowly whilst twirling a lock of hair around her finger, thinking. Then she smiled a motherly sort of smile Rose hadn't seen on her face before. She wasn't much older or taller than Rose and, even though they were literally from different worlds, Rose thought that, considering her travels with the Doctor, she was the one with the most life experience. Yet somehow, that motherly smile worked. Rose couldn't help but suspect that it was because Lysandria could, if you squinted and stuck your fingers in your ears, resemble Jackie more than a little and,_god_, did Rose miss her mum.

"Have you told him, sweetheart? If he only knew how you feel, he would be by your side in an instant. He's head over heels for you," Lysandria said and why did she have to go and use 'sweetheart'?

Rose couldn't keep her bottom lip from trembling, no matter how hard she pressed her lips together, and soon she felt tears spilling over and streaming down her face. Wiping her cheeks and nose with her sleeve, she nodded and let out a barely audible 'yeah'.

"What?" she heard Martha whisper in disbelief.

"I _have_ told him. He just doesn't want me."

"No, but he-"

"Stop! Every time you say it's so obvious he loves me, it _hurts_," she whimpered, clutching the fabric of her pyjama top over her heart. "I don't want to hear it anymore. Just stop!"

The other women didn't know what to say, but they didn't have to because their faces spoke volumes. They had been so sure that everything would be just fine if only Rose told the Doctor those three magic little words. Oh, how wrong they were.

"Thanks," she said, but she wasn't really sure whom she was thanking or what for. "I'm going to bed."

"Rose," said Martha. "D'you want me to come with?"

Her kind tone made the tears flow anew, and Rose drew in a ragged breath as she opened her mouth to decline. However, as she looked Martha in the eye, beautiful, caring and brown, she found herself nodding instead. Martha slipped her hand into Rose's and, after saying goodnight to Lysandria, they walked to Rose's room.

As they curled up together under the covers, Rose made a decision. Martha had been nothing but wonderful to her and Rose had rewarded her by shutting her out. She was no better than the Doctor in that regard and it was time for a change. Tonight she would sleep, but tomorrow she would finally let her friend in. 

* * *

Jack understood right away that the Doctor was lying. Granted, he needed help, but not with whatever lame excuse he had come up with. Luckily, he hadn't needed to coax the truth out of the Time Lord because as soon as he had led him to the hidden chosen as their workshop, the Doctor told Jack what he really wanted help with.

"She doesn't know, right?" Jack asked once the Doctor had finished explaining.

"Nope. And you're not allowed to tell her."

"Don't worry, I won't. I get why you wouldn't. Did you know, though? Before, I mean. Did you know that you could do that?"

The Doctor sighed and leaned against the console. "I had my suspicions, but...no, I didn't know. Still don't. But I think it will work."

"Then why didn't you...?"

"Do you really think that would've made things better?"

Jack shrugged, and then shook his head. "No, probably not."

"I'm gonna need you and your team. Will you help?"

"Of course. Just park the TARDIS in my office, and we can start."

"Er, I already have."

Jack laughed at him. "What? Before even asking me."

"Weeell, I knew you would say yes."

"I never even heard us materialise."

The Doctor shoved his hands into his pockets and shrugged. "I can be quiet when I want to be." 

* * *

Glorious Martha Jones listened to all the things that had taken place since 'run'. Rose poured her heart out until her throat felt raw and she knew she would be hoarse for days but, as she finally opened up, she just couldn't stop. Martha didn't say anything, only nodded and hummed in the right places and asked the occasional question when something was unclear.

When Rose was done, Martha shared her experiences with the Doctor, not only to prove how differently he had treated them, but also to vent. Even though she hadn't acted on it, Martha had been jealous and felt overlooked and those feelings only increased the more she got to know about Rose's life with the Doctor. So, Martha ranted a bit, even got angry at times, but Rose didn't mind. She felt like a spoilt child in comparison and Martha deserved to get things off her chest.

When both of them were done, they started talking about what had happened the night before.

"He's a git, he really is. Don't know what his problem is. But...he ran after you to make sure you knew that Sandy kissed _him_ and that he didn't reciprocate. Why would he want to make that clear, if he didn't love you? Rose, if you only could see how he acts around you. I've never seen him so..._light_. There's always this darkness in him, but when the two of you..." Martha smiled wistfully. "You make him...joyous. Young. Deep down, you know he loves you, right? I mean, he burned up a sun to say goodbye. A sun! Git or not, that's the most romantic thing I've heard in my entire life."

"Yeah. Yeah, I know. But..." Rose inhaled and exhaled slowly to prepare herself for voicing something she had suspected for a long time, but never said out loud for that would make it real and hurt even more. "He doesn't _want_ to love me. It's like... He says...he says it's 'cause I'll wither and die, but thats not true, 'cause he didn't let that stop him with Reinette. It's 'cause I'm just a chav and a stupid ape. Not good enough to be with a Time Lord."

"No! You're good enough. You're more than good enough. He's the one who's not good enough," Martha protested.

"Good enough to travel with, yeah. Not good enough to be his..._his_. 'Cause if he loved me, I mean really loved me and thought I deserved his love, why would he keep hurting me like this?"

Martha shrugged helplessly, looking like she didn't know what to say, so Rose pulled her friend in for a hug and whispered her thanks in Martha's ear. Thanks for listening, for being there and being her friend, despite it all.

* * *

A whole day went by without the Doctor showing his face so Rose, Martha and Sandy spent that time at the pool, swimming, soaking up the artificial sunlight the TARDIS provided and, with some instructions from Rose, learning how to do backflips from the diving board. When night came, Martha found a pillow room and the three of them decided to spend the night in there together, fairly certain that the the time ship was behind Martha's discovery.

They stayed up much too late, talking about everything but the Doctor, eating a lot of candy and having a pillow fights in their jimjams. It was nice, not obsessing about that prat of a Time Lord, who most likely was hiding from the emotional mess by fixing a mechanical one. Also, now that Rose wasn't busy hating Sandy, she realised that the woman wasn't that bad after all. A bit pretentious and definitely privileged, but she had a good heart and laughed at pretty much anything, effectively lifting the mood.

As the evening grew nearer the following day and there still hadn't been a Time Lord in sight, Rose was too worried to let things be. This wasn't the first time he had hidden from her, but it definitely was the longest. However, after looking in all the usual places, and a great deal of unusual ones as well, she still hadn't found the Doctor.

"I say we go out," suggested Sandy. "I'm getting cabin fever. Let's go back to the club and have the kind of night we were supposed to have two days ago."

"You're just saying that because you wanna find a handsome Earthling and shag him rotten," teased Martha.

Sandy looked dead serious. "I am not leaving this planet without having had a taste of your very fine, human males. Had I not had my eye on the Doctor, I would've found someone already." A sly grin spread across her face. "Several someones, as a matter of fact."

"I'm not sure. The Doct-"

"Doctor this, and Doctor that," interrupted Sandy. "The Doctor has mistreated all three of us. I say to hell with that man. Girls' night out! Drinks, very short dresses and heels we can barely walk in. And I won't take no for an answer!" she said, pointing at the others and giving them a mock-stern look.

"You know what? I'm in," said Martha, and looked to Rose. "You too, yeah?"

"Uhm..." Rose chewed a little on her lip, and then placed her hand on the wall. "Is he all right, girl?"

The time ship hummed but Rose had trouble interpreting it; it felt neither positive nor negative. Reaching out for its consciousness, Rose repeated her question and her mind was filled with the colour yellow.

"Yellow? As in...coward? Or wait. As in neutral? Or maybe both?" she asked, and the lights flickered in that way she had come to know as 'yes', making Rose laugh. "Okay, then. Suppose that's good enough for me. Let's do it."

* * *

After having a bit to eat and dressing up in gorgeous creations provided by the TARDIS, the three friends headed for the doors but, instead of coming outside, they found themselves in Jack's office.

"Is it my birthday already?" he asked from behind his desk, leering at the gorgeous trio.

"Oh, you flatterer, you," Sandy said, dismissing his compliment with a showy hand gesture.

"What can I say? Looking good, ladies," he said, nodding appreciatively. "Only thing that would make this better is a dash of Time Lord. Where is he?"

"We don't know. He's been hiding for the last couple of days. So we're making our own fun," replied Martha. "We're going to that place you took us the other night. Wanna come?"

He grinned wolfishly at them. "Oh, yeah."

"Jack! I meant 'do you wanna join us'?"

"I might later. I was actually just about to go see if the Doctor needed my help. It's really important, the thing he's working on. I've been busy the last two days. Been this whole thing," he said, looking exasperated. "Anyway, I'll tell him you guys went out. Can I just have a word with Rose first? In private."

The others stepped out and Jack pulled out a chair for Rose to sit in.

"So, hon, how are you doing? I'm sorry for not being there for you, but works been insane."

"S'all right. I know what working for Torchwood can be like."

"What happened after you guys left? He didn't really tell me anything. You know what he's like," he said and rolled his eyes.

She sighed, fidgeting with her rings. "Honestly? For four years he's been all I could think about, dream about...fantasise about. I'm sick of it. We're going out and I'm just gonna have fun and not think about him at all. We can talk tomorrow, yeah?"

"That bad?"

She shrugged, but smiled at him. "The things he does for the universe, he shouldn't have to do that alone. And he won't have to, 'cause he's got me. But he just wants a hand to hold, and it's not fair of me to push him into giving me more. I'll be like you, yeah?" She laughed. "Having a bloke in every shore for when I need my itch to be scratched."

"Footloose and fancy-free, huh?" he asked and she giggled.

"Eventually, yeah. Just gonna need a little time."

Knitting his brow, he grabbed her hand and gave it a little squeeze. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yeah."

He brushed her cheek with his knuckles. "Good for you, moving on."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Show that moron what he's missing. And if you wanna come back to Earth, you'll always have a job here and you can stay with me for as long as you need."

"Thanks," she said, smiling. "But, I still want to save the universe, travel and feel a different ground beneath my feet every day. Best life there is. Besides, I'm never gonna leave him. He's lost so much, Jack. He's not gonna lose my friendship, too. Just gotta set some boundaries and we'll be all right."

Jack looked a bit concerned but he pulled her in for a hug and she kissed him on the cheek after squeezing him tightly.

"All right. My offer still stands, though. Have fun tonight, and I might just join you guys later."

"I hope you do. Make sure he eats something, all right? You know how he gets."

"Will do." 

* * *

Jack grabbed some sandwiches and a bottle of juice on his way to the workshop. He found the Doctor crouched over a desk, scribbling equations; his hair was a mess, his clothes rumpled and he looked like he hadn't shaved in at least a couple of days.

"Hi, Doc. How's it going?"

"Oh, Jack! Great. Need your help. Can you hand me those papers?" he said, pointing at a bundle at the other side of the room.

Jack did so, and asked, "How long have you been in here?"

The Doctor looked up at the ceiling. "Oooh, it's been... Blimey! Two days now. Hadn't noticed."

"I know a few people who have," he said, shoving the food and the juice in front of the Doctor's face. "They think you're hiding."

"Yes, well, I'm not. I'm working."

"Maybe you should pop out of here once a day and at least show your face," Jack suggested. "Don't think you're improving things much."

"I need to finish this, Jack. She-she needs this. I can do this for her."

"As opposed to what?"

Ignoring his question, the Doctor got up and fetched three boxes from a cupboard in the back of the room. "Here," he said and dropped them in Jack's lap. "These needs to be sorted. These stripped. And these disassembled. Chop chop."

They worked in silence for at least two hours before Jack realised that the Doctor still hadn't touched his food.

"You should eat that."

"Yeah, yeah, I will. Just need to finish this."

"This as in 'this project' or as in 'this particular equation'?"

"Fine. Look, see?" he said and shoved a whole sandwich into his mouth.

"Jesus, Doc. Take it easy." Jack eyed him carefully. "How long since you've slept, anyway?"

"S'been a while. Can't remember," he mumbled, mouth full of food.

"Why?"

"Are you here to gossip or work?" the Doctor snapped.

"You're acting like an asshole."

"Haven't you heard? Rude-and-not-ginger, that's me."

"I'm starting to regret I didn't join the girls."

"Joined them in what?"

"They went out."

"You let them go out _alone_?" the Doctor growled.

"No. They're three very capable people. Wouldn't call that 'alone'"

"But she's jeopardy friendly! You can't let her out of your sight. She-she could get hurt, or..." He stood up abruptly and ran his hands through his hair, tugging the strands. "You can't leave her alone! She almost _died_, Jack!"

"What? When?" Jack asked, but the Time Lord didn't seem to hear him.

"We're leaving. Now." 

* * *

Rose sat by the bar, chatting with Nick, a good-looking bloke who'd just been dumped by his girlfriend of three years. They had been drawn to each other, as though they both knew that the other wanted a distraction for the night. It was a little hard making small talk with someone Earth bound, since Rose didn't know anything about current events or pop culture anymore; however, they were the same age and soon they realised that they had watched the same shows growing up, played with the same kind of toys and the same games, and had listened to the same music. Their conversation turned nostalgic and they laughed over how bad their tastes had been when they were teens.

Knowing that absolutely nothing would happened between them, she felt safe flirting with him and he seemed to feel the same way. They were comfortable with each other without there being any attraction or tension; so, when he asked her to dance, she accepted without hesitation. Sandy and Martha were already writhing to the music with some of Nick's friends. Rose and he had earlier placed bets on which of the men Sandy would go home with and, when she saw her friend shoving her tongue down the throat of the guy Rose had picked, she elbowed Nick in the side, waggling her eyebrows at him.

"You owe me five quid, Nick."

"Night's not over yet," he replied, and put his hands on her hips, pulling her against him.

When Sandy turned around and started kissing one of his other friends, Nick punched the air and whispered in Rose's ear, "Ten quid she'll go home with both of 'em."

Still moving to the beat, her back pressed up against his front, she turned her head and said, "Really?"

"Oh yeah," he said and chuckled. "Won't be the first time those two share someone."

"You're on!" she said, laughing.

She was having so much fun, feeling carefree, but then something in the air changed and her eyes were drawn to her right. Her heart skipped a beat and she froze as she saw Jack and a very rumpled Doctor several feet away. She smiled and lifted her hand, giving a little wave, and Jack waved back. Not the Doctor, though. He just stood stiffly on the spot, eyes transfixed at her, making her feel as though she'd been caught cheating and, even from that distance, she could see the tension radiating from him.

"Hey," said Nick, and tickled her belly. "You okay? You stopped moving."

She turned around and her movement made Nick slide his arms up to encircle her waist, whilst she had her hands on his upper arms. "Yeah, yeah. S'just my...ex," she said, cringing a little at the word, "showed up and he's really jealous. We should stop dancing."

Nick furrowed his brow. "Is he violent? 'Cause I won't leave you if you think he's gonna hurt you."

"No. He'd never hurt me," she assured him. "But he has a temper. Might make a scene, or something."

"But he's the one who dumped you."

"Yeah, I know."

"Well. We're not doing anything wrong," Nick said and started moving again. "I'm not gonna let him control me, and neither should you."

Rose bit her lip and looked up at Nick, thinking. He was right. She wasn't doing anything wrong. It was just an old habit, viewing herself as taken, when she really wasn't. So, she shook her body a little as she bounced up and down, as though she could shake off the feeling of betraying the Doctor, and then she started dancing, not caring in the least who was or wasn't watching.

* * *

They had watched Rose dance for at least twenty minutes and now they saw her sitting at a table with that tall ginger guy who seemed glued to her side. The Doctor's eyes hadn't left her for one second and Jack doubted he had blinked even once.

"This is ridiculous," he told the Doctor. "Just admit you love her so we can stop being two fucking creeps, old as balls, stalking this young woman."

"I'm not stalking her. I'm just making sure she's okay."

"Yeah, and you're just holding that bottle firmly, right? Not trying to crush it with your bare hands," Jack snarked and looked down at the Doctor's white-knuckled hand clutching a beer.

"She's a trouble magnet and Cardiff is full of vermin thanks to that rift of yours. I'm just making sure."

"Mhm."

Rose got up and started walking towards the back of the room, and the Doctor immediately stood up to follow her.

"Jesus, relax. She's just going to the ladies'," Jack said, making the Doctor sit down by yanking his arm. "What the hell is wrong with you? Sure, you've always been a possessive bastard but this is insane."

"I was gonna... But then I _lost_ her," the Doctor said, voice so low Jack barely caught it. "I...she...I can't..."

"Yeah, I know. I met Sarah Jane a while back," Jack told him and he felt the Doctor stiffen, so he put his hand on his shoulder to comfort him. "Were on a mission, took me to London and there she was, investigating."

"Oh."

"Yeah. We quickly realised we had a mutual friend. Or I should say two mutual friends."

The Doctor swallowed audibly. "I see."

"She didn't give me any details, Doc. And don't get upset with her. She was really worried about you, and since I'm the only one she knows of who knows both you and Rose, she asked me to keep an eye on you. And I've tried, but you're kinda hard to track down."

"What _did_ she say?"

"Well," Jack started but got interrupted as the bottle broke, beer gushing out over the table as well as his lap. "Hey, what the fuck, Doc!?" he said, but the Doctor was already making his way through the crowd. 

* * *

When Rose come back from the ladies' room, she realised that all the seats at their table had been taken, since her as well as Nick's friends had joined them. Sandy was sitting in someone's lap so Nick patted his, inviting Rose to do the same.

"I don't know," she said, tilting her head and scrunching up her nose.

"C'mon. We've already established nothing's gonna happen between us, so what's the harm?"

She looked around for an empty chair at another table, resisting the urge to look to where she knew the Doctor was sitting; however, as she tried to lift a char, she realised that all the furniture was bolted to the floor. She shrugged and sat down in Nick's lap; his arm went around her waist, steadying her, and she put hers around his shoulders.

She couldn't have been there for more than a minute when the Doctor appeared before her. His eyes were completely black and he looked as though he was using all of his self-control not to grab Nick and throw him into the wall. He turned the full force of his Oncoming Storm glare at Nick, who was shying away as best he could, considering he was sitting down with his lap full of Rose.

Fury washed through her and she clenched her fists and jaw, glaring at the Doctor. Stupid, selfish, pompous git who didn't want her, but couldn't stand seeing her with someone else. She stood up, grabbed the Doctor's hand and pulled him out of the club, set on giving him a piece of her mind. As soon as they were outside, she forcefully pushed him against the wall.

"What the _hell_ are you doing?" she shouted.

He was trembling and breathing heavily, lip curled up in a snarl. "You were on his _lap_."

"Yeah, so?" she asked and stuck her chin up in the air, challenging him, but he stood silent. "Just 'cause you don't have any needs doesn't mean I don't."

"So, what? You're gonna shag him?" he asked, nostrils flaring.

"I might," she answered, even though she had no intention whatsoever in doing so. "Either way, it's none of your business."

"My TARDIS, my rules. No more pretty boys onboard."

"Who said anything about me bringing him back to the TARDIS? I'm sure he has a lovely flat with a lovely bed. Or kitchen table. Or sofa. Shower. Wall. Floor. I'm not picky."

"You wouldn't."

"No? Watch me."

She turned on her heel to head back to the entrance of the club but, before she'd taken more than two steps, the Doctor grabbed her hand. A second later she was pressed up against the wall with his fingers wrapped around her wrists, holding her arms up at the same level as her head.

"Are you trying to drive me crazy?" he growled, pushing his body into hers. "Is that what you're doing?"

"No. I'm just moving on. You don't want me, remember?"

"I don't _want_ you?" He released her wrists and grabbed her hips, grinding his into hers, and she gasped as she felt his growing erection pressed against her stomach. Her brain short circuited for a second and she closed her eyes, leaning her head back. She had never seen any indication that he actually _desired_ her and feeling him hard against her made shiver and her heart started racing in her chest.

"I don't want you?" he repeated, mouth still at her ear and, as his lips brushed against her skin, she had to grab his lapels to steady herself. "You always smell so good," he said, burrowing his face in the crook of her neck, breathing her in. He nipped at her skin,and soothed it with his tongue, making heat shoot through her. "And you smile at me and tease me with your fucking tongue…"

Hearing him use that word made her buck her hips against his out of instinct. He groaned, grinding back, and she couldn't help but wonder if this was really happening. She was so turned on and surprised she couldn't think clearly as he kept licking and kissing her throat, gripping her hips and moving against her, proving to her how hard he was for her. Her mind was full of sweet sticky fog and she put her leg around his waist, rubbing her heat against him.

"Do you know how much brain power I have to use every day to control my impulses? To stop myself from throwing you over the console and show you just how much I want you," he said, sucking at her collarbone between words. "You're always there, being all..._Rose_, making me dizzy. Can't think clearly," he whispered against her skin, kissing and nuzzling her cleavage. "You make me do such stupid things. Do you know how hard I fight not to give in? How exhausted I get? And then you go do something like this." He kissed his way up to her jaw, stopping right at her lips, trembling. "Like you want me to snap," he said, leaning in to crush his mouth to hers.

His words were like a bucket of ice cold water, splashing over her, and she pushed him away before their lips met.

"No!" she said, tears pooling in her eyes. "I don't want you to give in 'cause you're too tired to fight your feelings for me. I don't want you to snap! This," she said, gesturing between them, "is not what I want. I want you to believe that I deserve your love." She brushed the tears off her cheeks and drew in a ragged breath before whispering: "I want you to _want_ to want me."

It was as though something broke within the Doctor. He staggered further back, brow furrowed, mouth open and, with a barely visible shake of his head, he reached out for her. "Rose," he breathed, "that's not-"

"No," she interrupted, putting more distance between them as she backed away. "Let's just pretend this never happened. We're good at that, yeah?"

Knowing there was nothing else to say, she turned around and walked towards to the club without looking back.


	22. Torture

**Warning**: this chapter is called torture for a reason but nothing graphic is described, only mentions of torture, abuse and threats.  
**Spoilers**: Rose will share something that happened in Pete's World that will spoil a few things from Torchwood s2.

* * *

The next morning, as Rose entered the galley, the Doctor stood by the stove, flipping pancakes, and he greeted Rose happily as though nothing had happened at all. She was shocked for a second, but this was what she had asked for so she just played along.

"How are the TARDIS repairs going?" she asked as she poured herself a cuppa. She was a bit worried about the time ship and had reached out to the TARDIS to ask how she was doing, but hadn't gotten a reply she could understand.

"Forward. Not as fast as I'd like, but... Getting help from Tosh, today. She's-"

"Oh, I know who she is. Well, parallel Tosh. I've been to the Cardiff branch in Pete's World. She's brilliant."

"Good! Haven't met her yet. Or any of them. Popped out to see Jack earlier, he wants to introduce us all at lunch. He seems rather proud of his motley crew. Blueberries or chocolate chip?"

"Hmm…" She licked her lips. "Chocolate."

He stacked a few pancakes on two yellow plates, placed them on the table and then took his usual seat opposite hers, beaming at her. She automatically smiled back, she always did when he looked at her like that, but then the weirdness of it all hit her and her smile slipped. Not much, granted, but enough for him to notice and panic flashed in his eyes before he turned his attention to the pancakes. She wasn't as good as he was at hiding emotions, but she had to try, for the both of them.

"These are really good," she said in an excited tone, and shoved more food into her mouth.

He relaxed, smiling proudly. "Want more?"

"Yep! Fork 'em over," she replied, holding out her plate, and he giggled at her.

"Where's Martha?" he asked, filling up her plate.

"I think she'll sleep late today. She stayed a lot longer than I did," she said, watching him carefully, still looking bright and happy.

"Oh." He nodded for a bit longer than necessary, but his features softened a little and she knew he had understood what she was really saying. "I'll make sure we have the hangover cure ready. Do you need any?"

"No, thanks. I didn't really drink much last night," she said, and then she slapped her forehead. "Oh, god. Sandy! I forgot about her. She wasn't with Martha when she got home-" She stopped talking when the Doctor began to chuckle. "What?"

"Weeell, when I went to see Jack this morning, he wasn't alone. He and his-er, I don't really know what they are to each other, but gentleman caller, if you will-were entertaining Sandy last night. They were still sleeping it off when I spoke to Jack."

Rose raised her eyebrows, grinning. "Good for her. She wanted a sample of what Earth had to offer in that department, so I suppose she's pretty happy now."

"Rose, I..." He swallowed and ducked his head, and she stiffened. "I need to work. A lot. So, if you don't see me, I'm not... If you don't see me, I'm working, all right? And if you need something, anything, just...ask the TARDIS to call me."

"All right. I will."

Her heart started beating fiercely as she realised that this was a good moment to bring up what she had done as soon as she got home last night. It was always so scary talking about things like these with him, but she knew it would only become worse the longer she waited and she wanted to tell him herself instead of him finding out on his own. Oh, what the hell. She should just go for it.

Rose took a deep breath, steeling herself, and that was enough for him to focus completely on her. He was already looking nervous.

"I asked the TARDIS to remove the door between our rooms," she blurted out.

His face fell and she winced inwardly, but he quickly regained control over his features. "Ah."

"S'just...reckoned it was for the best, yeah? Think we need to have a few boundaries. So knocking and stuff, right?"

"Of course," he answered, staring down at his plate.

Her hand reflexively shot out to grab his, for even though his face was neutral he still looked so lost and her instinct was always to comfort him; however, mid-movement she realised what she was doing and grabbed her cup instead.

"It will help," she explained and took a sip, wondering if she should just shut up. "Will make it easier for you. And for me. For us. Both of us, I mean. So there's no..." she trailed off, not wanting to say 'temptation' out loud.

Nodding, he sighed heavily. "Yeah, I think you might be right."

"Good."

"Yeah."

"And also, uhm, dunno, maybe stop with all the hugging and tou-" She swallowed the rest of that word when she saw him recoiling.

"Okay. Yes," he replied, and she kicked herself mentally.

Yes, it had been her idea to pretend as though nothing had happened and here she was, talking about it, but she just couldn't go on like before. She had to draw lines between them to protect herself as well as him. He was apparently in daily agony because he didn't want to give himself to her. If he were ever to change his mind, she would welcome him with open arms but, until then, she would do her best to avoid situations leading to almost-kissing and she would avoid pushing him into something he wasn't ready for.

Rose finished her breakfast as she racked her brain for something else to say, just anything to break the very uncomfortable silence. After a while it became nearly unbearable and she was really close to ask him to just save them with that magnificent gob of his, when Martha walked in. Oh, thank god.

"Martha!" the Doctor chirped.

Martha gave him a bemused look, which wasn't surprising, since he never greeted her that enthusiastically. "Morning..." She narrowed her eyes. "What is it?"

"Nothing! Well, _it_ is always something, isn't it? Cousin It, for instance. Definitely something, I'd say. Something very, very hairy. Did you know that on the planet Addams, the-"

"Doctor, please," groaned Martha, pressing her hand to her temple. "Where's that hangover cure, uhm, Eeze 4?"

"Oh, right. In the infirmary. I'll go fetch it. Back in a tick!" he said, and fled the room.

"Coffee, coffee, coffee, coffee," Martha mumbled, as she moved around the galley in a zombie-like manner, fixing her own breakfast. She poured milk and cereal into a bowl, grabbed a banana and then sliced it, adding it to the cereal. "Oh, reminds me. Are we hiding the bananas?"

Rose laughed in confusion. "What? Is that a euphemism? Did Jack do something?"

Giggling at her, Martha turned around from the counter, where she now was grinding coffee beans with a soundless, 37th century grinder. "No, I mean... Oh, brilliant!"

"What?" Rose said, scrunching up her nose, but then she saw the Doctor walking past her and hand Martha a big glass of foaming neon green Eeze 4.

Martha downed the cure in large gulps and then grimaced. "One would think that it wouldn't be too much trouble to actually make this taste good, as well."

"Did you hear? We're meeting the Torchwood team in a few hours," said Rose.

"They have a pteranodon," said the Doctor, leaning back in his chair, balancing on two legs. "Was apparently out yesterday when you lot went through the office."

"What? A dinosaur?"

"No, a _pterosaur_. A flying reptile, actually. But...common misconception."

Martha's jaw dropped. "Shut up. Are you serious?"

"Yep. Flies about, eats meat, protects the team. You know, average pterosaur stuff," he said with a casual shrug, but his eyes were sparkling with excitement.

"It won't try to eat us, will it?" asked Rose, biting on her thumb nail. "Don't much fancy being lunch."

"Nope," he said, smiling fondly at her, and then whipped out his sonic screwdriver. "But if it tries, I'll protect you."

She chuckled. "What, you've got an anti-pterosaur setting?"

"As a matter of fact, I do!" he said and sniffed. "Setting 2134 emits a noise very unpleasant for pterosaurs. Makes them shriek and fly away."

"Two thousand and... Blimey! Didn't use to have _that_ many, did you?"

The Doctor put the sonic back into his pocket and cleared his throat. "No. No, I didn't. Anyway, you don't need to worry. She, the pteranodon I mean, only eats meat treated by Jack's special barbecue sauce."

"I feel like there's a dirty joke to be made here, but my cure hasn't kicked in yet," said Martha and snickered. "Can't believe I'm gonna see a real, living pterosaur. This is so cool!" Martha grinned and raised her hands, excitedly shaking them.

"Well, I need to work on a few...things," said the Doctor and stood up. He tapped the table a few times with his fingers, looking as though he was mustering up courage to say something, but then he just smiled, albeit a tad wistfully, and looked at Rose. "I'll see you later."

"Not if I see you first," she replied, using their old joke to show him they were good. Well, as good as could be, considering everything that had taken place between them lately.

Rose made sure he'd been gone for at least ten minutes before turning to Martha. "Bananas?"

"Oh, right. Well, did he behave? Or should we hide the bananas?"

Rose knew, without a doubt, that the Doctor already was hurting because of the pain he had caused her. He was a lonely, broken man with a guilt complex and she couldn't punish him for what had taken place last night. She would definitely hide the bananas whenever he was being rude and a bit of a git, but not for this.

"Nah, no need."

"Okay... You two seemed...fine. Right?" said Martha and finished her coffee. "Are you... Did you talk this morning, or something? You were so upset last night, and you seem..." Martha gestured vaguely.

Last night, when Rose came back to the club, her story had been that she just told the Doctor off and that he had walked back to the TARDIS. She stayed in an effort to focus on something else and dance her frustration away, but an hour later she gave up and went home; however, she had still been up when Martha came home much later, but she still hadn't told her the truth. She knew the Doctor wouldn't want anyone to know the details and, to be honest, she didn't want them to either.

"I'm not shutting you out, Martha," she explained. "Some things are just too private. But we decided to be friends. Just friends. And we both believe that's for the best."

Martha blinked and shook her head, obviously having a hard time believing what Rose was telling her. "You sure?"

Rose wiped up some melted chocolate from her plate and licked it off her finger. "Not saying I'm over the moon about it. But, yeah, in the long run, it's for the best and I'm happy that we're finally on the same page and that it's, well, that we decided together."

* * *

Jack had planned to have the TARDIS team meet the Torchwood dito over lunch at the hub, but the team's medical officer Owen had been forced to rush out on some assignment and would be a little late. So, showing his guests around his secret lair, Jack introduced them to his team and showed off his pet pteranodon by dousing some meat with his barbecue sauce. Martha squeed and clapped her hands, whilst Rose looked impressed, but also a little bit wary, and he couldn't help himself from teasing her about the big Bad Wolf being scared of a flying lizard.

Not long after that, Owen called to tell them he was on his way, so Sandy and Ianto took off to pick up lunch for all of them. The Doctor, Jack and Tosh were busy discussing something on Tosh's computer, so Rose and Martha passed the time by chatting with Gwen, one of the field agents, who told them the story of how she had been recruited to the team.

Owen had barely been back for a few seconds when he noticed Rose and eyed her from head to toe, leering at her. Jack shot him a warning look, but Owen ignored him and sauntered up to Rose to undoubtedly use some trite pickup line. Jack wasn't the slightest bit worried that Rose would fall for it, so he returned his attention to the computer screen. However, as he heard a growl, an actual growl, coming from behind him and he noticed that the Doctor wasn't no longer at the computer, he turned around. He sighed heavily as he saw the Doctor standing in front of Rose, doing his best to kill Owen with his burning glare.

"Stay away from her," the Doctor snarled to a very surprised Owen, who was backing away with his hands up.

"Doc! You need to get your jealousy under control. This is not okay."

"I'm not jealous," the Doctor ground out without taking his eye off Owen.

Jack scoffed and shook his head. "I don't care what you call-"

"Look. At. Her."

Jack had been solely focused on the Doctor and Owen, so he hadn't noticed Rose's reaction. He turned his head her way and what he saw made all colour leave his face. She was huddled behind the Doctor, clutching his suit jacket, looking absolutely terrified.

During his travels with her and the Doctor, Jack had come across creatures which could've been plucked straight out of the nightmares of David Cronenberg and Jack had always admired Rose for handling everything so well. She was just a 21st century girl and yet she laughed in the face of danger. He'd never seen her react like this to anything and that made him suspicious.

"Owen, what the hell did you do to her?"

"Nothing!"

"I'm taking her back to the TARDIS," the Doctor said and turned around. Rose clung to him desperately, burying her face in his chest, so the Doctor lifted her up and wrapped her legs around his waist. "You can eat without us," he said over his shoulder as he carried her to the time ship.

* * *

Rose tried to calm down by focusing on the calming words the Doctor was murmuring in her ear and the comforting beat of his strong hearts against her chest., but it was so hard. Jack had never said the name of the medical officer, so when she saw that it was Owen Harper, she'd been so shocked her knees almost gave way. Her arms were looped around the Doctor's neck and her legs around his waist, so she clung even tighter to him, trying not to think about the horrible man.

Luckily, returning to the TARDIS helped her a lot; as soon as they were in the console room and the loving hum of the TARDIS filled her, her breathing returned to normal and she relaxed a little against the Doctor. He took her to her bedroom and, without letting her go, sat down on the bed, rocking them gently back and forth. He didn't put her down until she stopped shivering as panic left her body.

"What happened? What did he do to you?" he asked, hands hovering over her as though he wanted to check for injuries but didn't dare to touch her.

"Nothing." She laughed mirthlessly at herself. "_He's_ not done anything. Parallel Owen, on the other hand... For a second, I thought he had come through the rift to get me. Stupid, I know, but my brain just stopped working." She shook her head and started picking at her nails. "I lied to you, Doctor. About what happened over there."

"I know, it's okay. Just tell me now," he said and stilled her hands by cradling them in his own.

"Dad and Mickey didn't know at first, so please don't get mad at them."

"'Course I won't."

"Dad's the director, but that Torchwood is run by a board and they're not good people. As soon as they found out about my condition, decisions were made and none of the people close to me or my family were told. They, uhm," she said, biting her lip, "wanted to make me into a weapon. Figured I'd be pretty efficient."

The Doctor didn't say anything, but she could feel the rage building inside of him and she did not look forward to telling him the rest, but it was time.

"At first they rotated the staff, but that didn't work very well. Not many people were in on the secret, so..." She inhaled deeply through her nose, puffed up her cheeks and then let the air out through her mouth, rubbing her forehead. "I'm telling this all wrong."

"You're doing just fine," he told her, stroking her hand with his thumb. "Just keep going."

"Shortly after I was...trapped, I went to this function, yeah? Told you about that, I think. Anyway, I met Owen. He was coming on to me, and he didn't really take no for an answer. I'm sure this world's Owen's a nice man, but that one wasn't. Had to, uhm, push him away forcefully later that evening. He was really drunk, so I reckoned..." She shrugged. "Next time we met, he apologised a lot and I said it was okay. But then I started working for Torchwood, and he kept hitting on me. Never got physical, just being a twat, and it was really annoying."

Realising this would take some time, she turned around and crawled up in the bed so she could sit with her back against the headboard. She fluffed up one pillow for her and one for the Doctor, making it comfortable for them, and patted the empty space beside her. The Doctor scooted up to her and he took her hand again and, although she had told herself to keep the physical contact between them to a minimum, she allowed it. Right now she _needed_ it.

"When I went to Barcelona, Owen died. Was a top secret mission, so I never did find out what happened. But then, after they locked me up, I found out he wasn't dead after all. Or, he was, I suppose, but alive too. So, undead. Walking dead. Dunno. Whatever."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't really know. As I said: 'top secret'. But Owen told me some when he...worked on me. There was this Resurrection Gauntlet. They got it from Torchwood Three. This version seems a lot more independent, but the one in Pete's World has to go through Torchwood One on almost everything and give 'em all the good stuff. Well, this particular thing wasn't so good, I suppose. Anyway, Owen died and they resurrected him. Only, it's not really a life. He couldn't eat, drink or do anything, really. His body didn't _work_, yeah? Couldn't even heal, so he had to be extra careful all the time."

"So he was the perfect doctor for you. No life to drain out of him," the Doctor stated.

"Yeah. Perfect," she said through gritted teeth.

"What did he do?" the Doctor asked, voice low and controlled.

"Started out just fine, with experiments and them taking a lot of my blood and, you know, the usual. Had regular visits from Mickey and the others. In the beginning we-me, dad, Mickey and Jake, I mean-thought they were just trying to help me. But then came Owen and they let him do whatever he wanted as long as he got the job done. Started with verbal abuse. He wanted to punish me for rejecting him. Didn't really care at first, but after a while... He sedated me when dad and Mickey came to visit, said it was part of the treatment, so I couldn't really interact. And after months of only hearing how useless and worthless I was... It started to get to me."

"Oh, Rose," the Doctor said and pulled her in for a hug. "You're not use-"

She gently pushed him away. "I can't-"

"Oh, right, sorry," he said and released her as though she were scalding him. "Old habits..."

"Doctor, s'not that," she said, smiling sweetly at him. "S'just if you hug me now, I'm gonna cry and then I'll never be able to tell you everything, all right?"

He let out a sigh of relief and nodded, smiling back. "Go on."

"Yeah. Well," she said, starting to feel a tad nervous, "after a while that wasn't enough for him, I suppose. He had this machine, never told me what it was called, but it could heal flesh wounds really quickly and remove any scarring. So in between all the tests, he..." she trailed off, biting her thumbnail.

"He what?" the Doctor prompted.

"T-tortured me," she said and closed her eyes, feeling the Doctor tremble next to her.

"How long?"

"Dunno for sure. Couple of months, I think... With the...torture, I mean. Was locked up longer."

The Doctor swallowed. "Where?"

"Mostly my arms, legs and my back. Fingers and feet, too. He punched me once, but he hurt his hand and it didn't heal, so he only used instruments after that," she said, feeling him stiffen beside her and knowing it wasn't just her words that caused his reaction. She deliberately kept herself detached, to prevent herself from completely breaking down, and knew he could tell by the way she looked and how she sounded.

"He never...he didn't...?" he said and she could tell from his apparent distress what he meant.

"No. His body didn't...function. But he was threatening to do it with, uhm, objects. Didn't say anything at first but slowly, day by day, he increased the threats. Think he was building up to it. Making me dread it even more than I already did. He would..."

She shot the Doctor a quick glance from the corner of her eye; he was sitting with his eyes closed, breathing much too calmly for it to be anything but controlled.

"I meant it, Rose," he whispered. "When you got back and you opened up to me and I said 'anytime'. I meant it. If you need to talk, I'm here."

"'Kay." She squeezed his hand, gathering strength from his presence. "I was always restrained," she continued, twirling some hair around the fingers of her other hand. "Sometimes he used some sedative that made me aware and able to feel pain, but I couldn't move. Not that I could, anyway, but it made me even less in control. Trapped in my own body. Was awful."

She shuddered, and he held her hand even tighter. "And he would take something and-and run it up my legs and say that this time, this was the time he'd actually...but he didn't. And then, one day, he was so happy. Like almost bouncing around. Such a joyless, sarcastic twat, that one, but he was beaming. He'd brought a calendar - a, uhm, a wall calender and he had marked a date. Was his-was his birthday. And he told me that was the day he'd finally do it. A little treat for himself, he said."

Sensing how hard it was for the Doctor to hear, she scooted even closer. It felt noce to comfort him and it somehow made it easier for her to just tell her story, instead of blubbering it out and crying like there was no tomorrow.

"So every day he crossed out one more date on the calendar, counting down to...you know," she continued. "And he showed me all the objects he thought about using, and told me in detail what he'd like to do to me with them. But," she said and smiled, "two days before his birthday Jake and Mickey got me out. Mickey had caught on that something was wrong and they helped me escape, even though they risked their lives to do it."

The Doctor sighed with relief, tension leaving his body, and he turned towards her and wrapped his arms around her. She reciprocated the hug, feeling him tremble in her arms, and stroked his back as she murmured comforting words in his ear. She didn't feel the need to cry, because the TARDIS caressed her mind with her gentle singing, making all those memories so much easier to bear. This wasn't news to her, but it hadn't really dawned on her until now just how much the time ship helped her and that she hadn't begun healing for real until they had been reunited. Rose sent her thanks telepathically to the TARDIS, letting her know how lucky she considered herself to have met the time ship and her pilot.

"Was that all right?" he asked about their hug as he pulled back. She nodded. "I don't understand how someone like that could keep his job!" he continued, letting some of his anger lace his voice. "He should've been sacked as soon as he started harassing you!"

"Well," she said and chuckled self-deprecatingly. "People didn't really like me..."

"What?" Everyone always like you," he stated, as though it were a fact instead of his personal opinion.

She laughed a little. "I wasn't very happy and welcoming at first. Didn't wanna be trapped there, and behaved a bit immaturely. Was so sure you'd come get me, didn't see a point in making a life. And then, when I started working for Torchwood, people assumed it was nepotism. So they didn't like me for that. But I was really good. Non-hostile aliens requested me especially as a liaison, 'cause I was good with connecting with them. Made them feel, well, less _alien_. That's why I got to go to Barcelona after only working for two months."

"You're so brilliant!" The pride that shone through his eyes made her duck her head and grin bashfully.

"Some of my colleagues didn't think so. Started hating me for that, too. Wouldn't have mattered, either way, though. Dad couldn't sack someone like Owen without running it by the board. They'd never let him go. His brilliant mind was more important than my feelings."

"They're lucky I can't get to them," he said coldly.

"Doesn't matter anymore, Doctor. I'm here, I'm safe," she told him, stroking his arm to placate him. "Well, gotta put up with you and your awful piloting every day, so I suppose life could be better," she teased him, poking her tongue out between her teeth as she smiled.

She never did it consciously. That stubborn, little tongue of hers moved on its own accord when she was really happy and she always was when she was bantering with the Doctor. However, as she remembered what he had said the night before, her smile died and she withdrew her tongue, feeling embarrassed.

"Oh, Rose," he said softly, cupping her cheek. "Don't ever stop smiling like that. I couldn't bear it."

Oh, he was looking at her in that wonderful Doctor way that had her spellbound and made her feel as though she was the center of the universe. His thumb tenderly brushed the apple of her cheek, his eyes were shining with longing and affection and her chest constricted, in the best sort of way, from all the emotions that whirled up in her.

"Rose," he breathed, and she subconsciously licked her lips as he leaned in.

Their noses met. He nudged hers with his and she closed her eyes, waiting for their first real kiss, but then he rested his forehead against hers and she could actually feel him frowning. He let out a heavy sigh and it felt as though someone had punched her in the gut as she realised that he regretted losing control once again.

"See," she said, and now she couldn't help herself anymore. She sat up straight again, chin trembling and eyes already running. "See this, _this_, is why I pushed you away last night. 'Cause I knew that as soon as you got your head on straight, you would regret it. And _I_ couldn't bear _that_."

She had to do _something_ to release some energy, so she got up from her bed and started moving around in the room, unaware of what she was doing but she could feel his eyes on her the entire time.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, tangibly ashamed of himself. "I'm-I'm just trying to do the right thing."

"I know. I know you do. But if you don't want me, Doctor, stop coming on to me," she begged, face contorted from her crying. "Every time you pull back, you break my heart more and more. I can't take it anymore!"

"Are you-are you leaving?" he asked, sounding like a little boy, eyes pleading with her to stay.

"No, why would...?" she asked, confused, and he pointed at her hands. She looked down at what she was doing and realised she was packing her bag. Oh.

"No," she said, shaking her head and sniffling. "I'm not leaving. I'm never gonna leave you. But I think I better stay with Jack until you've finished repairing the TARDIS. Think being stranded like this is too hard on you. As soon as we can start travelling again, we get proper distractions and things can go back to normal, yeah?"

"But," he said and stood up, "what about Owen?"

"I was just shocked," she said and dried her face with her sleeve. "S'not the same man. I'll manage." She went into the en suite, threw some toiletries into the bag and hoisted it up on one shoulder. "Get some sleep, Doctor. I think you need it."

She reached the door and turned around, looking at him. He stood in the middle of her room, arms hanging limply by his side, looking utterly helpless.

She kept one hand on the door knob as she said, voice a little uneven: "I'll see you later."

He was quiet for several heartbeats and she almost gave up on him, but then he nodded. "Not if I see you first."

* * *

After the incident Jack hadn't been able to relax so, whilst the others had lunch together, he had spent his time pacing back and forth in his office. When Rose finally emerged from the blue time ship, he's worry only increased. Her cheeks were stained with mascara streaks, her eyes and nose red and she looked completely heartbroken, carrying an overnight bag on her shoulder. He grabbed the bag, chucked it on a chair and scooped her up in his arms.

"What the hell is going on?" he asked.

"Oh, Jack. Dunno where to start," she sobbed and buried her face in his shoulder. "Can you just hold me for now?"

"Of course, honey," he whispered into her hair.

Of course he would hold her but, after this, he sure as hell was having words with that son of a bitch of a Time Lord, because there was no doubt in Jack's mind why his dear friend was crying.


	23. Broken

Rose sat in Jack's office, wiping her face with a flannel as she waited for him to return with a cuppa and something to eat. She didn't want to see the others and he was fine with her hiding away, especially after she told him the abridged version of her experiences with parallel Owen. She wasn't sure of how long Jack held her, but eventually she felt tension leave her body and his embrace made her feel safe. Jack might have questionable morals sometimes, but she knew he would always have her back and she loved him dearly.

"Feeling better?" he asked as he returned, carrying a tray, and closing the door with his foot.

"Yeah," she replied and held out her hands for the tray. "S'been a lot, lately."

"My shoulder will always be free for Rose Tyler," he said and they exchanged friendly smiles. "So...are you ready to talk to me? You have me worried sick, here."

She sighed and took a sip of her tea. "You know, I'm getting so tired of pouring my heart out. I really should've just made a recording, popped some popcorn and then you lot could've watched it in the media room," she said and grinned at him.

"Well, I've got a camcorder. Mostly use it for my sex tapes with Ianto, but I can make an exception," he replied, flashing his pearly whites.

"Nah, I'm all right," she said, and chuckled, happy to be in the presence of someone who always knew how to make her laugh. "There's just so much to tell, I don't even know where to start."

"I've heard the beginning is usually the way to go."

"Well, you know the beginning. Suppose I can start with when the Doctor fell in love with Madame de Pompadour, then," she said and grimaced.

"Wait, what? That wasn't exactly what I was expecting."

"You think I did?" she asked, rolling her eyes, and then she started telling him about that awful day and everything that happened afterwards.

Rose told him all about leaving Mickey, losing her face, and how the Doctor hadn't been able to stop staring at her once she got it back. He had even asked her to sit for him so he could paint her portrait. She shared stories about black holes, mortgage talk, making regular visits to Jackie, strolling hand-in-hand, hugging for the silliest reasons, sleeping in the same bed (albeit without cuddling), all the million almost-kisses, how he had gone from dark and brooding to being so happy and bubbly all the time. A little nervous, she even shared two of her most precious memories: when they had danced on her birthday at Firemoon Peninsula and, finally, when she had made her promise to him.

"I really thought things would change after that. _He_ asked me, just like that, out of the blue, in this gorgeous, really romantic place. Was a forgotten planet with a sky full of these, uhm, these magnificent creatures. Don't remember what they were called. Anyway, he just asked me: 'How long are you gonna stay with me?' and when I said 'Forever', he smiled. He _smiled_, Jack. He didn't start rambling about something or look away or anything like that. He asked and he smiled. Sorta felt like..." She ducked her head and blushed.

"A proposal?" he asked, in an unusually soft voice.

"Well," she said and pouted a little, picking at her nails, "sounds cheesy, I suppose, but yeah...it did. Almost more than that, really. But then Torchwood happened and when it got tough he decided to send me away, against my wishes, without even saying goodbye. When I said 'forever', I meant for better and for worse! Suppose he didn't see it that way, though."

"But you came back, am I right?"

"Yeah. How did you know?"

"You're Rose Tyler. Nothing can stop you from getting what you want. Of course you came back."

She smiled at him, but then she shrugged. "Didn't do me any good, though. Still got trapped in that stupid place. And he was so angry with me for following my own heart that he mostly yelled at me. And when I slipped," she said, tearing up again, "the last thing I saw was his face. How sad he looked. And I thought that was the last time I'd ever see him. That my last memory of him would be agony. And it was so hard and I thought I couldn't..."

She grabbed the flannel again, wiped her face and then blew her nose in it. Looking at Jack, she shrugged with one shoulder and gave him an apologetic smile, but he just gave her knee a squeeze and encouraged her to go on. So, she told him about how the Doctor had called her in her dreams and how she had finally been happy, because she thought he would come and save her from the parallel world, only to find a projection on a cold, Norwegian beach.

"His eyes," she said, scrunching up her face to fight the stubborn tears, "I've never seen them so sad. He looked tired and broken and I couldn't even touch him, couldn't comfort him. But I could do one thing and that was telling him I love him. And he was going to say it back, but he ran out of time and faded away. Ever since, I've been trying to make sense of it all. Good days I thought he loved me back, bad days I thought he was just...dunno. But then I came back and it's been... Oh, I dunno... Complicated."

Taking a little break, she wet her throat with more tea and ate some of the food Jack had brought. She didn't really have an appetite, but she knew she needed the energy. He looked so worried, her old friend, so she scooted a bit closer and hugged him with her free arm.

"Thanks for listening," she whispered.

"You're not done yet, are you?" he asked, furrowing his brow. "I want to know what happened after you came back."

"Not done talking, no. Done with the Doctor, though? Yeah. Yeah, I am. As much as I want him, I can't... Jack, he's hurt me too much. It's over. I can't take anymore of this."

Jack's eyes flitted to her bag. "You're leaving him?"

"No. But I'm letting go of my feelings. I've reached the point where I'm just pathetic for hanging on. So, I'm done."

"Rose, what did he do?" Jack asked, concern written clearly across his features.

She sighed, shifting a little in her chair as her hand flew up to her hoop earring to release some of her nervous energy by fidgeting, and then she started speaking again. This time she didn't hold back. Jack got to hear all about how she had come back to find the Doctor a changed man-or rather, reverted back to an emotionally unstable version of his old self. She told him about the overprotectiveness, the jealousy, the hot-and-cold act and the emotional abuse.

After deliberating it with herself for a few minutes, she even told him about what had happened outside of the club and Jack's worry seemed to increase for every word she spoke; however, when she finished by telling him how she had opened up to the Doctor about Owen and how he'd almost kissed her, only to pull back yet again and then refrained from doing anything when she told him he was breaking her heart, Jack's expression turned thunderous.

"That's it," he growled. "I'm gonna put him straight."

"Please don't. If you wanna talk to him, talk. But please don't be mad at him. He doesn't need that," she said and put her hand on Jack's arm. "He needs a friend, yeah?"

"You're too good for him," Jack replied, shaking his head. "And what about you? You're gonna stay with that asshole?"

"S'nothing on Earth for me. The Doctor makes me happy," she said, and when Jack raised his eyebrows questioningly she clarified her statement. "Travelling with him is the happiest I've ever been. Don't mind being just mates. Still the life I want. He just has to commit to his decision and stop stringing me along."

"And you're absolutely sure?"

"Yeah. And if I change my mind, I'll always have you." She swallowed and bit her lip nervously. "Right?"

"For sure. But...what are we gonna do about Owen? You're bound to run into him, staying here."

"Was thinking about that earlier when you fetched me tea. Maybe we could, uhm dunno, do like a therapy thing, yeah? Like, I meet him for a few minutes and see that he's not parallel Owen, and we can increase the time each day? I'm sure this Owen is really nice-"

Jack started laughing. "Hell no. He's a complete asshole."

Her face fell. "Oh. But," she said, lacing her voice with some humour, "will he lock me up and torture me?"

"Nah. And I'll tell him to stay away from you. And if that doesn't work, I'll make him take a few days off. Or you and Martha can spend the days showing Sandy around Cardiff. Owen doesn't have to hang around after office hours this week, okay? We'll fix this," he assured her. "Now," he said and slapped his knees as he stood up. "I'll go get Martha so you don't have to be alone, I'll tell Owen to stay away until I'm back and I'll go talk to the Doctor. I need to check up on a few things about the...repairs, anyway. Sound good?"

"Yeah. Thank you, Jack."

"Anytime, Rose."

* * *

It took a lot for Jack not to run straight to the Time Lord and let him have it, but he patiently listened to Rose finish her story, forcing himself to stay calm. Now, however, roaming the TARDIS to find the Doctor, he was getting angry again. The Doctor wasn't in the workshop, the galley or the library and Jack didn't know how to find his bedroom, but then he remembered that there used to be a door between Rose's and the Doctor's bedrooms and, hoping it was still there, Jack went to her room.

He pushed the door open and found the Doctor standing completely still in the middle of the room. It had taken Rose more than an hour to tell Jack everything and, by the looks of it, that was how long the Doctor had been standing there in the dimly lit room.

"You," Jack growled. He stalked up to him and pushed him hard, making the Doctor stagger back, nearly losing his balance. "What the fuck do you think you're doing to her?"

"I'm trying to do the right thing," the Doctor replied, sounding defeated.

"Is toying with her feelings and being a manipulative bastard 'the right thing', huh? You'd better get your shit together! So," Jack said, giving him a sharp look and folding his arms over his chest, "start explaining yourself."

"I'm a Time Lord," the Doctor stated. "I can't get attached."

Jack snorted. "Kinda late for that, Doc."

"Yeah...I won't...I won't leave her. But if she chose it, if she... I'd let her go, if she wanted it," the Doctor said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"She'll never leave you."

"She should."

"Is that why you're working so hard to push her away?"

"I'm not."

Jack chuckled mirthlessly as he shook his head. "Could've fooled me."

"I'm..." The Doctor sighed. "I'm trying to regain control...over myself. That's all. I need to keep _my_ distance. I'm pushing myself away."

"...and what a bang up job you're doing."

"Yeah," the Doctor drawled, and ran his hand over his chin, scratching the stubble. "It's not working very well. She's..._Rose_."

"Then why? Why can't you just...? There's an easy solution to your problem. You love each other. Go fuck and be happy. Everyone would benefit from it. Especially the rest of us, who have to watch you two morons being stubborn and fight what so many people would give anything to have."

"I told you. I'm a Time Lord. I have other responsibilities," the Doctor calmly said.

"That's such a load of crap. You're better with her and you know it. The universe doesn't need some emo asshole for a saviour, and Rose doesn't deserve to be punished because you can't deal with loving her. And, if you don't start treating her better, I will beat you up. You might be a Time Lord, but I'm immortal and I can take your scrawny ass."

"I'm sure you would love taking my scrawny arse, Jack."

"Oh, cheeky," Jack said and laughed, but then he cleared his throat and schooled his features into something stern-looking. "Seriously though. Rose is important to me and she's good people. I will get violent if you don't stop being a dickhead."

The Doctor leaned back against the wall and put his hands into his pockets, standing quietly for several heartbeats before saying: "She broke me."

He sounded so torn up that Jack wanted to toss his anger aside and scoop up the Time Lord in a big ol' hug, but he knew better than that and stayed put and quiet. The Doctor was at least talking about the real stuff now and Jack could be patient. He had time, after all.

"I had just... She promised me forever and I had just decided that I was going to... But then I lost her. Finding a way back to her was all that kept me going, but it couldn't be done. I wanted to..." He drew in a shuddering breath.

Jack couldn't see the Doctor's face, since he placed himself in shadow when he decided to lean against the wall, and Jack was sure it was intentional and he was glad for it. At the game station, when they thought the Anne Droid had killed Rose, the Doctor had almost shut down. He was supposed to be the most powerful being in the universe, so seeing his eyes turn lifeless from the lack of hope and willpower, had scared Jack to death. According to Rose, she and the Doctor had been happy-really happy-before Canary Wharf and Jack knew how far the Doctor must've fallen after losing her.

"She was the only thing that kept me sane after losing _everything_, Jack, and now I didn't even have her. I wanted to...die. Properly. Not even go through regenerations. Just...die. Not sure what would've happened if Donna hadn't showed up. Didn't have time to feel suicidal when I had a loud-mouthed ginger harassing me," he said and chuckled, but the chuckling became strangled in his throat as he continued. "And then I went to Sarah. Weeell, that's not true. The TARDIS took me there after... Don't know exactly how long." He sighed heavily. "Lost my time sense for a while."

"I crashed in her garden and the TARDIS flung her doors open, so Sarah could walk in. Don't even remember this, but she found me... Anyway, she took care of me for a week, I think, and she helped me see that I had to go on. But I still... Well, I figured that a regeneration would help. Maybe if I changed every cell in my body, I could stop feeling like-like _this_," he said, and Jack heard him hitting his chest with his fist.

"Oh, I was reckless, Jack. I threw myself at danger, challenged the universe to kill me so I could walk away a new man. A man without Rose Tyler seared into his hearts," he said, bitterness lacing his words. "But after a while, little by little, I was starting to feel better. Not good, mind, but I could handle it. And that's when..."

"...she came back," Jack filled in for him, since the Doctor seemed to have lost his voice.

"Yeah," he breathed. "Jack, I can't... I can't break again. I just can't."

"I know, but...maybe if you let yourself love her, it would be easier," Jack suggested. The Doctor was dead silent, but Jack could feel his eyes boring into him through the darkness of that little corner where he stood. "I know you," Jack continued. "When you lost her, all you could think about were the moments when you didn't act, right? You were filled with regret and guilt. All you could think about was why you didn't kiss her that time, or why you didn't just shove her against the wall and fuck her. Why you never told her you loved her. Right? But what if-"

"Jack," the Doctor said, clearly a warning.

"No, hear me out," Jack insisted. "What if you did? You wouldn't be left with regret and heartache anymore. You'd be left with wonderful memories of sharing your life and yourself with the woman you love. What you two have, it's rare, Doc. I've lived for a long, long time. I've never seen that before."

"Jack, I can't. I just can't..."

"Woman like that? She'll find someone else. Fast, too. Guys would line up for a chance with Rose Tyler."

The Doctor sighed and Jack could hear him running his hands over his face. "Maybe that would be for the best."

Jack snorted. "Best for whom exactly, Doc? You're so goddamn selfish."

"Really? Selfish?" he snapped. "She makes me confused and dizzy and I lose all my self-control. I'm trying to stay away only to find that I've somehow managed to wrap my arms around her, _yet again_. Never landed in the wrong year or place as much as I have with her in the console room. 'Cause she's there and being all..._Rose_. And all I can think about is..." He groaned in frustration. "I focus on the wrong things. I act silly so she'll laugh. I use every little excuse to touch her. I would do _anything_ to protect her. Even sacrifice innocent people. How dare you call me selfish for trying to stay away from her? I'm doing it so I don't make stupid decisions that will harm others!"

The Doctor was really angry now and Jack was sure he would have been covered in spit, had they been standing closer to one another.

"She wouldn't want you to, though, would she? Sacrificing others, I mean," Jack said, voice calm. "She would want you to save the day."

"I know."

"She's not the problem here, Doc. _You_ are. You know, maybe you wouldn't be so affected by her if you let yourself love her instead of fighting it. All your brainpower, right now, goes to that little place that controls your Rose Tyler impulses, am I right? You're in this constant battle with your feelings. No wonder you're exhausted and can't think clearly."

The Doctor scoffed, but there was tenderness to it. "Don't remember you being such a sage, Jack."

"Well, someone made me immortal and I've loved and lost quite a few people since," Jack told him and laughed. "I know you're scared of losing her. But regret is so much worse, isn't it? So, stop being a selfish coward and let her in."

The Doctor stepped out of the shadows, turning his Oncoming Storm glare at Jack. "Selfish would be to keep her! To tie her to me forever and do everything in my power to prolong her fragile, human existence. I'm trying my hardest _not_ to be selfish," he barked. "I should just drop her off. She'd be upset but she'd press on. She's Rose! That's what she does!"

Jack rolled his eyes. "_This_ is what she wants. Stop making her decisions for her. She's a grown woman, for fuck's sake!"

"She doesn't know what's best for herself!" the Doctor snapped. "She's nearly died several times over, has been separated from her family, and witnessed her father die two bloody times. Had she not met me, she'd be married to Mickey by now. Mickey who, by the way, is not an idiot at all. They'd live in a little house and have a bunch of children. And she'd be happy and _safe_. Instead, she's spent the last two years miserable. She's been tortured, locked up, alone and scared all because of me. What kind of life am I condemning her to? Dying at thirty because she didn't run fast enough? How could I ever do that to her? To _her_!"

The Doctor stumbled to the bed and sat down, placing his elbows on his knees and resting his head in his hands. "I don't deserve her, Jack," he whispered. "What kind of man am I, dragging her across time and space, letting her get hurt just because I can't live without her?"

Swallowing the lump in his throat, borne from the Doctor's display of despair, Jack kneeled in front of his friend.

"I know this is hard, Doc. I know what it's like to lose the people you love. But this is the life she wants. She knows the risks. She'd never be happy on Earth and only feel trapped. She's human. You just don't seem to get us, Doc. We can't regenerate and walk away with a clean slate when things turn to shit-"

"That's not quite how it works."

"Way of missing the point, Doc. Look, we only have one life-a fucking short one at that-and we want to make the most of it. We want to feel and experience all the little things out there, even if it makes us burn. And isn't that why you're so drawn to us? All that life and passion... It's because we know how fragile life is. Standing between her and her only way to happiness _is_ selfish, Doc. No matter how good your intentions are."

Feeling as though there was nothing more to say, Jack waited for the Doctor to reply or at least react, but he just sat there in Rose's bed with his head in his hands. Being without a time sense, Jack couldn't be sure, but it felt like at least fifteen minutes had gone by when the Doctor finally spoke.

"I need to finish my work."

"Fuck," Jack moaned and shook his head, but then he sighed and stood up, pulling the Doctor with him. "Sure, I understand. Nine hundred years of being a selfish asshole and you can't change in one day. But promise me you'll think about it, and we'll finish the project. We'll give her that, at least. Oh, and set her straight regarding that Reinette chick. There's no way in hell you fucked her, so don't let Rose think that."

The Doctor stared at him for a long time, but then he gave him a curt nod and walked out of the room.

* * *

It took a week for the Doctor to finish his work and Rose didn't see him once during that time. According to Jack and Tosh, who spent a lot of time in the workshop, he was doing little else than the repairs. She, Martha and Sandy spent the days outside, exploring Cardiff, with a little help from Gwen, who'd also invited them over for dinner with her boyfriend Rhys.

Owen kept his distance, but Rose challenged herself and faced her fears by making sure to talk to him at least once a day. Her nights had been filled with bad dreams, but she was able to connect a little with the TARDIS and share her burdens. It was harder, being outside of the time ship, but for short amounts of time and when feeling really desperate, it worked.

It was close to dinner time and they were all getting ready to go out for a bite. Jack told them earlier in the day that the Doctor would most likely be finished by the afternoon. So, they figured that dressing up and going somewhere fancy would be a great ending to their visit.

They were all chatting and laughing when the Doctor came in. Not seeing him for a week made Rose's reaction a lot stronger than she had anticipated, so she grabbed Martha's hand for support. Her cheeks flushed and her stomach felt all funny. She knew Jack had talked to him, but he didn't tell her how things had turned out, stating it wasn't his place.

The Doctor looked awful and Rose was sure he hadn't slept since they had landed in Cardiff and definitely not showered or shaved for days. His eyes roamed the room and she noticed them lingering a little on Owen, who was standing as far away from Rose as possible without exiting the room, but then the Time Lord smiled brightly.

"It's done!" he said.

"Well done, Doctor," Sandy praised him. "Does that mean you will accompany us to dinner?"

"Eer, I suppose so..."

"Will you also shower and change out of that suit? Or do you only have the one?" she asked. "Your dinner jacket aside, I've never seen you in anything else."

"He's got a blue suit," said Martha.

"What?" said Rose and crinkled her nose. "I've never seen him in a blue suit."

"Yeah," Martha said. "I've not seen him in it since...well, since you got back, I reckon. Why is that Doctor?"

"Weeeell...er...uhm...er...erhm...ahem...weeeeell, " he said, tugging at his ear.

"Oh, my god. We've finally done it. We've broken the Doctor," joked Martha and snorted.

"Aaanyway," he said, raising his eyebrows and shoving his hands into his pockets. "I have something I need to show Rose. So...we'll do that and then we can go to dinner."

"What is it?" asked Rose, feeling more than a little nervous.

He smiled tenderly at her. "It's something good. Promise. Now," he said and nodded towards the TARDIS, "c'mon."

"Oh, Doctor!" Sandy called after them as they walked away. "You've still got my necklace in your possession. Would you be so kind as to bring it to me, please?"

* * *

Being alone with the Doctor made Rose's heart race. She had made it abundantly clear how she felt about him and now, after having days to reflect on it, days of him not coming to her and telling her what a git he'd been and 'Rose, please take me back', she was a bit embarrassed. She didn't really know what to do with her hands and, for some reason, simple things such as breathing and walking felt complicated. Add to that the prospect of a _good_ surprise and she had to unzip her hoodie to prevent herself from sweating too much.

"Rose. Relax."

"Yeah, all right." She gave him a determined nod. "Relaxing."

He giggled at her and bounced up to the console and if she had doubted it before, she couldn't now. His behaviour made it very clear that this surprise wasn't only good, but also something of which he was immensely proud.

He pointed at the grating in front of the monitor. "Here. Stand here."

"Okay," she said and did as she was told.

"Before we start, I just have to say this: we can only do this once a month and only for an hour for it to be safe. We have to be in Cardiff. All of us. And...yeah, suppose that's it," he told her and he was grinning so hard it looked as though his face would break in two.

"Do what? All of whom?" she asked bemusedly.

"That button right there. Push it."

She knitted her brow, narrowed her eyes and bit her lip, but her eyes were sparkling from the excitement. She reached out, drew in a sharp breath and pushed the button.

The screen flickered and started emitting white noise, so she looked at the Doctor and raised an eyebrow. He held up his hand and turned his head a little, looking as though he was listening for something and that's when she heard it.

"What the bleeding hell! I can't see anything. Rose? Rose, sweetheart, are you there? Can you hear me? Tosh! Tosh! S'not working."

"Mu-" Tears welled up in Rose's eyes and she started to have serious trouble breathing, but then she felt the Doctor's arm around her waist, steadying her.

"Let me take a look, Mrs. Tyler," Rose heard parallel Tosh's calm, soft voice say. "Ah, here we are. It was just-"

"Yeah, yeah. I don't care about the technology. Just fix it, already!"

The screen flickered again and there they were: her mum and dad, Mickey and little Tony. Rose reached out to the screen, running her trembling fingers over it. "Mum!"

"Oh, there you are, sweetheart!" her mum said, and then they were all crying so hard they couldn't speak.

"We can't cross the void," the Doctor explained over the sound of sobbing from all of the Tylers and Mickey. "You kept saying that you wanted your mother to know you're safe, so...this is better than nothing, right? It's about a year after you left, their time."

"Better than..." Rose turned to him, mouth hanging open. "_This_ is what you were working so hard on? For me? But the TARDIS..."

"She's fine. But I wasn't sure we could make it work, and I didn't want you to get your hopes up in case..." He rubbed his neck. "So, I might've told a little lie."

"Oh, Doctor," she breathed. "This is..." She swallowed loudly, staring into his warm, brown eyes and, not caring about their boundaries at all, she flung her arms around him and gave him the tightest hug she was capable of giving.

When she pulled back, his arms stayed around her waist, holding her close to him and, with the most gentle expression, he brushed her tears away with his cool fingers. "I'll leave you to it. Just gotta pop by my room, freshen up and fetch Sandy's necklace and then I'll wait for you outside, all right?"

She nodded, very aware of his hand still on her face.

"And…" He inhaled and then exhaled deeply. "Afterwards we'll talk." Smiling, he tilted his head down and kissed her softly on her forehead.

"Oi! None of that," her mum shouted. "You have all the time in the world with her, you do. Snog her on your own time. Let me talk to my daughter, you blooming alien."

Chuckling, he turned to the screen. "Nice to talk to you, too, Jackie. Mickey, Pete," he said, acknowledging them with a nod and then he walked out of the console room.

"I don't know what to say!" Rose said, still too emotional to think clearly. "Uhm, I found the Doctor and, uhm, I'm safe. Guess you can see that... We met Jack! He's here. Uhm. How are you? Hi Tony," she said, waving to the toddler. "Blimey, he's so big! God, I've missed you! All of you! I think about you all the time!"

They kept talking and Rose shared what had happened to her since she came back to her original universe; although, she held back on the more gruesome details on account of her mum and Tony. They, in turn, told her all about their lives. Pete, Mickey and Jake did their best to change Torchwood from the inside, whilst Jackie mostly talked about Tony and wanted an Eastenders update, which Rose unfortunately couldn't give her.

Mickey was just about to tell her about someone he'd met, when the Doctor returned, showered, shaved and dressed in a clean and brown pinstriped suit. He grinned at Rose as he walked past her, letting his fingers graze her arm, making her shiver. The way he was acting, it surely suggested...

"Oi!" Jackie hollered, bringing Rose out of her thoughts. "I want a word with you, Doctor."

"Oh?" he said, with a sheepish look on his face and took his place beside Rose.

"Promise me you'll take care of my little girl," Jackie said, looking very stern and pointing at him. "I know you can't promise to always keep her safe, but you'll at least do your best, yeah?"

"Of course," he said, looking as though he was very serious about his promise.

"And Doctor? Thank you," she said, features softer now, and they all exchanged smiles.

"My pleasure." He turned to Rose. "I'll wait for you outside. Don't take too long. It's not safe to keep the line open for more than an hour."

She couldn't help but follow him with her eyes as he walked down the ramp and out through the doors but, as soon as the doors closed, she got an unpleasant feeling in her stomach. She winced and let out a small whimper, already missing him like crazy.

"Oh, my god." Jackie sighed and rolled her eyes. "He's only been gone for a second and you've already got separation anxiety. You're worse than Tony, you are."

"No, I'm not," she protested automatically, but the feeling was still there. The TARDIS flickered her lights, but not in the happy sort of way Rose had grown accustomed to, and sent her such a wave of dread telepathically, that Rose's knees gave way and she stumbled back, landing on the jump seat.

"Something's wrong," Rose said, and then she dashed out of the doors and into Jack's office.

It was empty.

"Doctor?" she called out, and ran into the hub. "Where's the Doctor gone?" she asked the others, who were still chatting and laughing. "He was just here!"

"We've not seen him since you guys left," said Jack.

"But... He was just here! He couldn't have just disappeared?" she said, panic rising in her chest. "The TARDIS! She felt something was wrong." She turned around and darted back into the TARDIS with the others in tow.

She lifted up the grating and jumped down under it and crawled into her usual nook, placing her hand against the rotor. The TARDIS flashed her distress to her, and Rose knew something or someone had taken him.

"Please," she whispered to the time ship. "Please help me find him."


	24. Lost

**Warning**: mild violence

* * *

Sitting down at a desk in the transmitter room, Jason Hunt felt the tracker vibrate in his pocket. After waiting for over a week to get a pulse on the damned thing, Lysandria had finally put her necklace back on and left whatever place she was at that had blocked the signal. He let out a sigh of relief. This engagement had been annoying from the start and he couldn't wait to be done with it.

It was supposed to be easy. Find Lysandria, chat her up and hide the transmitter in her necklace, so it was touching her skin, and make her come back to his hotel room so that the man who had hired him could transmat the woman without anyone noticing. However, nothing had gone as planned.

First, she hadn't welcomed his advances and, secondly, she found some unruly-haired douchebag to protect her and, as though that hadn't been enough, some blond skirt had tried to fool him. He had at least managed to hide the transmitter in Lysandria's necklace before teleporting out of there prematurely but after that, the signal had been completely blocked and Hunt had grown increasingly irritated. Stefan, the man who had hired him, stole his vortex manipulator and threatened to kill him unless he fixed this mess. So, here he was, all alone in some abandoned office building, waiting for a signal.

He whipped his tracker out and checked the readings. Wales, Earth? What the hell was Lysandria doing on Earth? Not that it mattered. She was within range. He rushed over to the reception station and flipped the switch.

"Uh, you're not Lysandria Le Phlöusché," he said to the pinstriped man who materialised before him inside the containment circle.

"I'm not?" The man held out his hands, turning them over, inspecting them. "Oh, look at the hair on my manly, hairy hands! I'm pretty sure I'm male, then. Does that help?"

"Not again," Hunt groaned. "You're that-that dude from Plasma 12 and... What was your name again?"

"Not sure... I might have some identification," the man said and started patting his pockets, looking awfully chipper.

"You'll know in a few minutes. You're just a bit disoriented," Hunt explained and, taking advantage of the situation, asked, "What do you remember?"

"Weeell, I was in my ship- Oh! I remember my ship. It's blue!" The man smiled dreamily. "And I stepped out to give someone something... Ah." He looked at the necklace in his hand, "There's a transmitter in this, I presume?"

"There sure is."

"Kind of stupid plan, don't you reckon? Oi! I'm rude," said the man, looking rather proud over the fact.

"No, it was a perfect plan," said Hunt through gritted teeth. "But some morons interfered."

"Ah. Yes. I remember now. I'm the Doctor," the man said and wiggled his fingers. "Hello!"

"Oh, right. I knew it was something stupid like that."

"Oi! It's a good name and appropriate too. Chose it myself," the Doctor said, slipping his hand inside his pocket.

There was no way he was letting this douchebag pull out some sort of weapon, so Hunt flipped another switch and the Doctor convulsed from the shocks emitted inside the containment circle until he passed out. After turning it off, Hunt positioned the man over his shoulder and carried him to the interrogation room.

* * *

After saying a tearful goodbye to her family, Rose and the others went back out into the hub to check the security feed from that day. Tosh quickly found the correct camera and time and they saw the Doctor walk out of the TARDIS and vanish into thin air just as he was stepping out of Jack's office.

"But... Where did he go?" said Rose. "I don't understand."

The TARDIS was trying to communicate something to her but she wasn't strong or experienced enough to understand and, combined with her own worry, the onslaught of emotions made her grasp Martha's hand for support.

"What's this?" called Gwen, who had gone back to the office to check for clues of any kind. "Looks like sand or dust."

Jack and Rose rushed over to Gwen, kneeled down on the floor, and looked at each other before simultaneously saying: "Transmat."

"I didn't see this before," Rose said, touching the dust. "Guess I was too upset."

"We all were. Okay. So someone transmatted him," said Jack, and then he scrunched up his face. "Why? Who? And how are we going to find him? Something tells me it would be faster to list the people who are _not_ his enemies, if you catch my drift."

"D'you-" Rose croaked. She swallowed and tried to regain control over her voice. "D'you think it's the Daleks?"

Before Jack had a chance to reply, Tosh said: "We track all incoming and outgoing signals. I should be able to locate him. Or rather locate where he was transmatted."

Rose widened her eyes. "Really?"

Tosh nodded, so Rose threw her arms around her, hugging her whilst bouncing up and down.

* * *

Hunt was just about to reach a new high score on his handheld game when the Doctor woke up. He threw him an annoyed glance and kept playing, ignoring the man's shouts and attempts at breaking free from his restraints. Eventually, Hunt ran out of lives, but he managed to break his personal record so he put down the game, feeling happy nonetheless.

"So," he said, rubbing his palms together as he walked up to the table where the Doctor was strapped. "I've asked you this before and you just rambled, so this time when I ask, I want an answer, or else et cetera," he said, pointing at his torture instruments. "Who do you work for?"

"My answer is still the same, I'm afraid. Me, a job? Preposterous. Well, I had a job once but it was a long, long time ago and it was under-"

Hunt slapped him hard and the Doctor closed his eyes and shook his head.

"That was a bit uncalled for, wasn't it?" he said in a high-pitched voice. "What did I ever do to you?"

"Ruin my engagement and annoy me. That's plenty, if you ask me."

"My, my, aren't we sensitive," said the Doctor and clucked his tongue.

"And proud of it."Hunt grinned and rolled his eyes at the man, who thought he could so easily provoke him. Silly, little douchebag. "Let's try again: who do you work for?"

"No one. I just travel time and space and make wrong things right. Regular superhero, me."

"What? For free?"

"Yeah. Don't you wreak havoc for free?"

"Sure, but that's fun!"

"Well, so is saving people."

"I'm gonna punch you just for being a self-righteous asswipe," said Hunt and did just that.

The Doctor licked his cracked lip, turned his head and spit some blood out on the floor.

"Hey! I just cleaned that," said Hunt and punched him in the gut instead, earning himself an 'oomph' from the man.

The Doctor frowned at him. "You're a very unpleasant sort of man."

"Only when I want to be. Who do you work for?"

"Unpleasant and _thick_, apparently," the Doctor said and Hunt rewarded him with another punch.

"Look. When God handed out consciences, he kinda forgot me. I really have no qualms torturing you for days, if I have to, or just leave you here to rot. And I have no problem _whatsoever_ killing you. But...you're not the person I want, so I wouldn't have a problem releasing you either. Just tell me what I need to know, why the hell you're trying to stop me and who's protecting Lysandria, and we can go our separate ways. Alive and dandy. What do you say, Doc?"

The strange man just shook his head, staring at the ceiling.

"Alrighty then," said Hunt and pulled the cart with his instruments closer to the table. "Let's get started."

* * *

Even though Tosh put all she had into it, she still estimated that pinning down the source would take at least a couple of hours. Jack and the others spent that time formulating a plan. They needed to be able to get there, which was made difficult with Jack's vortex manipulator not working, and Tosh didn't think she'd able to fix it anytime soon. That left them with the TARDIS. Being the talented pilot he was, and having had a few lessons from the Time Lord, Jack thought he might be able to pilot the time ship. Well, if she let him. Because that was the crux, wasn't it? As fond of her human guests as she was, the TARDIS was a one-man-ship. She only wanted her Doctor to pilot her.

"The Doctor told me that once when he was..." Jack's eyes flitted to Rose. "...indisposed that the TARDIS took him to a friend, all on her own. I think… Well, I hope that if she understood that the Doctor is in danger, she'd let me pilot her. Or, more likely, she'd let me and Tosh assist her as she flies on her own," he said and grinned.

"She knows something's wrong, I can feel it. But...I think the Doctor might be too far away for her to sense him properly," said Rose. "Maybe I can..." She bit her lip and tucked some hair behind her ear. "I've been communicating with her since I came back. Uhm, just trying to find a way to talk to her other than just guessing what her hums mean."

"Really? Does it work?"

"Yeah, kinda. I think she understands me a whole lot better than I understand her, though. Which, considering the situation we're in, is rather good, innit?" Rose said and tried to grin.

"So, how do you...?"

"Just focus on her...uhm, her presence in my head, yeah, and then I conjure up images in my mind and send them to her," she said, shooting her hand through the air. "So, like, I could think about all those times I've seen the Doctor locked up or hurt, which is a lot, and hopefully she'll get the hint. If you lot get the time and space coordinates and enter them into the...thing."

"Directional unit," said Jack.

"Yeah, that. If you take care of the directional unit, I'll, uhm, persuade her. Sound good?"

"I sure as hell hope so. Who's coming with?" he said as he leaned against one of the railings, looking around the console room with his arms folded across his chest.

Rose tilted her head down a little, glancing at Owen. "M'sorry, Owen, but... Don't think I will be able to focus very well if you..." She shrugged and smiled apologetically.

Owen opened his mouth to retort and, by the looks of it, it probably would have been something distasteful, but he quickly shut it when Jack gave him a stern look.

"All right. Sandy's inexperienced and will stay here with Ianto. So, me, you, Martha, Tosh and Gwen, then. And I don't give a shit about the Doctor's view on guns. We're going in armed and protected. You've worked for parallel Torchwood, so I trust you can handle a gun, Rose. But what about you Martha? Need a quick lesson while Tosh works?"

"I've used a tranquilizer gun with the Doctor, and I'd prefer one now as well," she said. "I'm a healer, not a killer."

"All right. That can be arranged. And everyone's wearing a vest. We have no idea what we're going up against. We won't be able to wear our earpieces, unfortunately, so we'll have to cover the grounds together. I'm not risking losing any of you on an unknown planet. And Martha, you'll carry the med pack."

They continued to get everything ready and, once Tosh had the time and space coordinates and Jack entered them into the directional unit, Rose jumped down under the grating, taking her place next to the time rotor.

She was scared. Terrified, really. Jack was right: they had no idea what they were up against. If it were the Daleks... She shuddered at the mere thought. Martha had told her all about their trip to Manhattan and she knew it was possible. If it were...well… She wouldn't tell anyone but, if necessary, she would open up the TARDIS again. She was sure she would be able to do it without a big, yellow truck this time. Back then, she hadn't been able to communicate with the time ship, but now she could and she knew the two of them would do nearly anything to save the Doctor.

"Please don't let it come to that," she whispered to fate, the universe or any deity that would listen.

Pressing her hand against the time rotor, she closed her eyes and focused. She knew some basic meditation techniques, since it was mandatory at parallel Torchwood, and she cleared her mind of all thoughts except her connection to the TARDIS. She was certain it took quite some time, but her friends in the console room were quiet and waited patiently for her to do her thing. This wasn't just removing a door or asking the time ship to turn on some lights. This was convincing the TARDIS to move across time and space without her pilot, so their connection needed to be stronger than ever.

When Rose finally felt those golden tendrils twisting into something solid in her mind, she started sending images of the Doctor to the TARDIS. She had seen him in danger so many times: locked up, beaten, shot, stabbed, threatened... Image after image flashed in her mind's eye and, when she felt as though the TARDIS truly understood her message, she started sending images of the Doctor breaking free to explain what they wanted to do.

Finally, something clicked; the lights flickered and the TARDIS' singing changed.

Rose felt something akin to determination in her mind, a feeling shared between them, and then she heard the beautiful sound of dematerialisation.

* * *

Politics. God, he hated them. Years of using a vortex manipulator had given him experience with more regimes than he cared to know, each one being more stupid and ridiculous than the last. Jason Hunt had taken this engagement purely for the money. He enjoyed spending his time just fucking shit up, but a man had to eat, too, right? Well, and have some money for booze and whores, of course. Those two-dicked Altuvians on Ollien XII...? Mm-mm-mm. He almost drooled thinking about them and had to shift the contents of his trousers a little. Where was he? Oh, right, politics. God, he really hated them. Stupid, moronic Hvarians or Varhians or whatever they were called and their stupid, moronic rules.

Stefan, not noble by blood and not married to someone with a title either, had to settle for sponsoring others when all he wanted was to run for office himself. He thought he had chosen the perfect candidate in Llamax Le Phlöusché, only to be completely blindsided by her treaty. He had complained at length to Hunt, after berating him for fucking up the kidnapping, and now Stefan wanted Lysandria purely for revenge, which was why Hunt was here with this irritating pinstriped loser who refused to talk, no matter how much he tortured him. Well, he wasn't pinstriped anymore since Hunt removed all of his clothing except his pants. He could tell the man was packing some serious equipment, but Hunt didn't have time for temptation, so the pants had to stay on.

"Why can't you just tell me?" he asked the bloodied mess on the table. "This is boring the shit out of me. I'll give you another hour and then I'll go after Lysandria myself. I have the coordinates, you know. Wherever she is, I'm sure I can take her bodyguards. I have a few handy toys..."

"Without your vortex manipulator?" the Doctor asked with a smirk, staring at Hunt's naked wrist.

"It's not on me, but I still have it," he lied. "Don't want to risk breaking it during your torture, so do yourself a favour and stop doubting me. I _will_go after her myself."

"You do that," the Doctor ground out.

"You act all tough but, if I keep this up, you'll bleed to death, man. Is she really worth it? Some bimbo socialite."

"I think you know better than I do how much..." The Doctor winced and scrunched up his face in pain. "...she's worth. You're the one getting paid, not me."

"As I said: one hour."

"Don't you mean 57 minutes and ten seconds?"

"Cocky piece of shit."

Hunt grabbed a pair of pliers and tore off one of the Doctor's fingernails just because he was such an aggravating asshole. Had it not been for the little fact that Stefan had managed to steal his vortex manipulator and was holding it until he delivered, Hunt would've abandoned this engagement days ago.

* * *

The ride was bumpy and probably twice as long as it would've been if the Doctor had been piloting but, thanks to their group effort, the team managed to land in the correct time and place. As soon as they materialised, the TARDIS raised the pitch in her humming and it sounded a lot like relief to Rose's ears. Rose herself was knackered. She had spent the entire trip connected with the TARDIS, trying to make sure she would be all right with Jack behind the console. So now, as they had parked, she sagged to the floor.

"You okay down there?" asked Jack.

"Can't believe I'm saying this," she replied, "but I think I better stay here. I'm exhausted." She wiped her brow, finding it awfully sweaty. "Just help me get up so I can sit on the jump seat and at least see the monitor, yeah?"

"Okay. You sure you don't want Martha to examine you?"

"No, I'm fine. Just get out there and find the Doctor, all right? If I feel up to it, I'll come after you."

"Stay. We'll get him out, don't you worry," Jack said, stroking her cheek, and then he turned to the others. "Let's go."

* * *

The silent alarm flashed behind Hunt just after he'd torn off another of the Doctor's fingernails. Great. Intruders. Well, he had a plan for that.

"Sorry, but I gotta run. And I can't really risk you telling your team-'cause I guess that's who's coming, right?-about me, so... It was nice knowing you Doctor. Too bad I never got a chance to take you for a spin," he said and leered, looking at the Doctor's groin.

Hunt grabbed a knife and stabbed it into the Doctor's heart before he ran back to the transmitter room to fetch his bomb. He had already chosen the perfect location to place it in case of an emergency. The bomb would obliterate the whole building, and still give him enough time to escape, once he set the timer, so he could run far enough away so as to be at a safe distance. Stefan was waiting just twenty minutes away with his vortex manipulator. Now that he was fairly certain where and when Lysandria was, Stefan would surely agree to let him use it to materialise in Wales shortly after the Doctor had been transmatted. Perfect.

* * *

Thankfully, the TARDIS had landed close and it didn't take them long to locate the Doctor.

"Jesus," said Jack as they entered the room where a severely injured Doctor was strapped to a table.

"Oh, god," whispered Martha. "His chest... He's been stabbed. Is he-is he..."

"No, he's not," croaked the Doctor. "Got a spare heart, you know. He didn't, though. Idiot. But I'll need some help. Remove the knife. Use sealing foam."

"Oh, thank god," Martha said, running up to him. She picked up the small cannister from the med pack, shook it as she pulled out the knife and then quickly sealed the wound with the foam.

"Rose," the Doctor groaned, as Jack and Tosh removed his restraints.

"She's safe. In the TARDIS," said Gwen.

The Doctor shook his head. "TARDIS says-" He grimaced as Jack helped him stand up. "Danger. Have to-" He winced as he took a few step forward. "I know where."

Martha had the presence of mind to scoop up the neatly folded stack of the Doctor's clothing before rushing after the others. They were following the Doctor, who seemed to know exactly where to go since he, apparently, was guided by the TARDIS. Sounds of a struggle echoed through the corridor and then the sharp, loud bang of a gun. The team picked up the pace and, even though he should barely have been able to stand up, the Doctor was in the lead.

* * *

As far as Rose could see on the monitor, they had landed in some sort of office building or factory. It looked run down and she hadn't seen a single person since they'd arrived. Well, until now. A man ran past the time ship with something looking very much like a bomb in his hands. Shit. She knew she was safe inside the TARDIS but, if that bomb detonated, the only family she had left in this universe would die. Tired or not, she had to act.

She pulled on the vest, grabbed her gun and ran out of the TARDIS.

"Hey, arsehole," she called out to Hunt.

She was hoping he'd freeze so she could take the bomb from him without having to shoot, since it would take a lot for her to actually use a firearm; however, without as much as a glance over his shoulder, Hunt disappeared through an open door to his right. Shit.

She had to move fast, before he set up the bomb, so Rose ran after him, grateful for her Torchwood training. As brief as it was, it was better than nothing. A couple of years ago she wouldn't have had a clue what to do, but now she knew how to enter a room to minimise the risk of getting ambushed. Unfortunately, Hunt was stronger, faster and had a lot more experience and she was already exhausted as it was. She barely had time to register what kind of room she had entered, when he hurled himself at her. Since it was a life-or-death situation, she pulled the trigger, but it was too late and the bullet merely grazed his upper arm.

They started fighting, which made her drop the gun and it slid under a desk, out of reach. She knew she wouldn't be able to beat this man, but maybe she could at least stall him until the others got the Doctor to safety and hopefully have time to find her as well. She did put up a rather good fight, considering, but after receiving more punches than she delivered, things started to get a bit foggy. That didn't stop her from trying, though, and she hit, bit, clawed and kicked at the man, even though she had trouble focusing, but she was too tired and it was useless. It took him no time at all to get the upper hand and wrap his fingers around her throat, squeezing the life out of her.

Rose heard a gunshot echo throughout the room.

Relief flooded through her as she saw Jack standing in the doorway with a gun in his hand. Blood splattered all over her and she realised Hunt had been shot clean through in the shoulder at an angle that kept her out of the bullet's trajectory. His grip on her loosened as he fell over her but, before she even had time to react, a badly wounded Doctor hurled himself at Hunt, pressing him down on the floor. The Time Lord's hands slid around the other man's neck, mimicking the position Rose and Hunt had just been in. Hunt, who didn't see it coming and was hurting from his gunshot wound, didn't stand a chance against the fury of the Doctor.

Rose could see Hunt slipping away and, with the last of her strength, she crawled over to the Doctor and put her hand on his arm.

"No," she croaked, voice not really working. "Stop. Don't kill him."

The Doctor's black eyes were transfixed on Hunt and he didn't seem to hear her.

"Doc-" She coughed, cringing at the pain in her throat. "Doctor," she said, and reached up to cup his cheek, turning his face towards her. "Don't. You don't kill." Tears started to pool in her eyes as she saw the rage thundering within him. "What happened to you? You don't kill," she whispered.

Meeting her eyes, the fury in his cleared and he dropped his hold on Hunt, who had already passed out from a lack of oxygen.

"I lost you," the Doctor cried, scooping her up in his arms. He was full of wounds and cuts and bled all over her and she wanted to scream at him to ignore her, so he could slip into a healing coma, but her throat hurt too much. Instead, she let him hold her tightly, rocking back and forth.

"No, m'fine. See?" she wheezed, pointing at herself.

"I did. I lost you," he insisted. "Don't leave me again. Never leave me."

He burrowed his face into the crook of her neck and she felt wetness against her skin. At first she thought it was his blood, but then she felt his body shaking with sobs. She wanted to assure him that she was fine, or rather that she would be, but she had lost use of her voice.

She held him close, caressing his back, and it seemed to be enough to calm him. He pulled back so he could look her in the eye and grunted, "Healing coma. I'll see you later."

"Not if I see you first," she mouthed, and then he sagged against her, unconscious.


	25. Together

**Warning**: NSFW.

* * *

Jack figured they would need Owen's medical expertise even though the Doctor had put himself in a healing coma, so he focused on returning the TARDIS to her last point of dematerialisation. Luckily, this was something the Doctor had taught him during their travels and it took little time and effort to accomplish. Once they arrived back at the hub, Jack and Gwen placed Hunt in one of their holding cells, whilst Ianto and Sandy prepared some food since everyone left before they had a chance to eat dinner.

Rose was somewhat unsettled watching Owen work on the Doctor, since she had seen those fingers do harm so many times in the parallel world, but she forced herself to stay since she was fairly certain the Time Lord could sense her presence. During her week away from the Doctor, Rose told Martha some of what parallel Owen had done to her. Martha, being the caring friend that was, stayed in the room with her without having to be asked. The other woman made sure Rose received all the medical attention she needed, so they now sat together on a gurney, dangling their legs. Her throat no longer hurt and all of her bruises were well on their way to recovery, but she was still exhausted and longed for Owen to finish so she could eat and go to sleep.

Knowing that the Doctor wouldn't want to spend his healing coma in the infirmary with all of these people onboard, Rose decided they should bring him to his room. She asked the TARDIS to bring back the door between their bedrooms, since she didn't know any other way into his, and received a confirming hum in response.

"All done," said Owen, cleaning up after himself.

"Thank you so much, Owen," Rose said with a smile, as she began rolling the gurney to the Doctor's bedroom with Martha's assistance.

Rose went to her own en suite and showered after tucking the Doctor into his bed. She returned to the Doctor's side, dressed in a pair of jimjams, and lay down beside him. She had missed him so much during their week apart and the sight of him sleeping warmed her heart. All she wanted was to run her fingers over his features and into his hair but she didn't quite know where they stood, so she turned to her side instead and fell asleep, hugging one of his pillows. 

* * *

Rose woke up in the Doctor's bed, curled up with her hands tucked under her chin. It was the second night she spent at his side-well, she had spent the days there too-and he had yet to move. She noticed his stubbled cheeks had regained some of their colour instead of being pasty white. She longed to affectionately stroke his face but, for the umpteenth time, she resisted the urge.

She didn't want the Doctor to wake up and find himself alone, so she had only left his side to take care of her basic needs. It was with some hesitancy she finally padded off to the loo and the kitchen, but her stomach was thundering and she couldn't postpone it any longer. The whole gang was in there instead of hanging out in the hub but, she supposed, it wasn't every day one got a chance to spend time inside a TARDIS.

Ianto was fixing a fry up and the others were chatting so loudly Rose was amazed anyone could hear anything at all. Picking up some snippets of their conversation, she gathered that Owen was still upset over missing a trip to another planet and that the others were exaggerating their experiences whilst there. There had been very little time to look outside, and the building they were in looked like any other office building on Earth but, according to Gwen, Martha and Tosh, the sky had been purple, the air had smelled like beer and the imaginary receptionist had had tentacles. Smiling to herself, Rose grabbed a plate and let Ianto shovel some food onto it. She thanked him, waved to the others and said she would be eating in the Doctor's bedroom before heading back to his room. Maybe it wasn't the most sociable thing to do, but they were used to it by now.

Rose knocked, just in case, and then opened the door and entered when no one answered. She almost dropped her plate when she found the room empty, but then she heard the shower running and sat down on the bed with a sigh. Hoping he wouldn't mind her eating in his bed, she ate half of her plate of food, saving the rest for the Doctor, and then positioned herself so her back was to the door of his en suite. He seemed so uncomfortable, last time she saw him stepping out of his en suite in nothing but a towel, and this was the only way she could think to avoid making him feel self conscious yet still be there for him.

She was already nervous, but when she heard the door open her pulse really raced. The way he acted before his disappearance had given her hope that something might change between them, but she still wasn't sure where they stood considering recent events. She had once again put herself at risk, by going after Hunt alone, and shown the Doctor just how fragile she was. He had then broken down and said more than he would've been comfortable with, had he been completely lucid. Looking back at their time together and knowing his pattern, how could she expect anything less than backpedaling from him? She now held her breath and waited for him to speak, deciding to be passive and follow his lead.

"Hello," he said softly.

"Hello."

"You can turn around, you know," he said, sounding amused.

She did so and once again found him covered in droplets and clad in nothing but a towel, which hung dangerously low on his narrow hips. Bastard.

"How, uhm, how are you feeling?" she asked, _not_ staring at his bare torso.

"I'm fine," he replied with a tired smile, walking up to the bed. "How are you?"

"Good."

"Good," he said, and then his eyes caught sight of the fry up.

"That's mine," she explained, "but you can have the rest, if you want."

"Not in the mood for that right now," he told her, looking at her curiously.

"'Kay..." She swallowed and, deciding to fill the silence with anything, added: "So, Sandy's called home. Everyone in her family is safe and her mum has contacted the authorities. And, uhm, Hunt's... He's locked up. Jack locked him up. And he's recovering nicely. Hunt, I mean."

"Good."

"Yeah..."

He raised his eyebrows. "So... Kidnapped, tortured and stabbed in one heart, comatose for two days and I don't even get a hug?"

"Uhm... You're, uhm, naked..." she said, gesturing vaguely in the air.

"I do have a towel on." he said, holding out his arms, making her heart beat a little faster.

Biting her lip, she stood up and took two tentative steps towards him. After wrapping her arms around him and patting him in a friendly manner, she pulled back almost immediately, not daring to take any liberties. It hadn't done her any favours last time, after all.

"I, uhm, I spent the night in your bed," she confessed, not meeting his eye. "Well, two nights and it's big enough, yeah, so I didn't... Well, there was room between us."

"I noticed," he said and, when she questioningly raised an eyebrow, added: "That you spent the night, I mean. I could smell you on my sheets."

Those words would normally make her a good kind of nervous, but he said it so matter-of-factly that it killed what little hope she had gained from him wanting to hug her despite his half-nakedness.

"Uhm, I didn't think it would be a good idea to let you sleep in the infirmary with all these people running around. And I didn't want to...leave you, so... I mean, I reckoned someone should watch over you, and Jack makes you feel weird..." she mumbled, steeling herself for his imminent rejection of her. He had broken down in her arms, told her never to leave him and cried. If there was anything that would make him run, that surely was it.

"Rose, I was very badly hurt and running purely on adrenalin. I wasn't in control," he explained, looking a bit too devoid of emotion for her to stay relaxed.

She was sure of it, now. He was going to take back what he had said, blaming it on the circumstances, and gently push her away. Why did she have to mention her not wanting to leave him and therefore reminding him of how he had pleaded with her? Stupid.

"Why won't you look at me?" he asked, voice low and serious.

"Uhm," she said and tilted her head up, finally meeting his eye straight on. "I just..." she trailed off with a shrug.

"I'm so sorry you had to see me like that, but I promise I'm not going to harm anyone. I wasn't..." He swallowed. "It was a very stressful situation and all my energy went to keeping myself conscious. Please believe me," he pleaded, eyes sad. "I couldn't stand you being afraid of me."

"Wha'?" she said, shaking her head in confusion. "I'm not. I could never."

He knitted his brow and for the first time since he stepped into the room he seemed a bit uncomfortable wearing nothing but a towel and, by the looks of it, his hands didn't know what to do now that there were no pockets in which to hide.

"Then why are you so skittish and-and...distant?" he asked, the last word nothing but a whisper.

"Oh... Uhm..." She blushed and ducked her head. What was she supposed to say? 'Hey, Doctor. You look scrumptious in all your pale, freckled glory and I want to lick those droplets right off your shoulders, but I'm scared you'll send me to my room and pretend like nothing ever happened'? Not bloody likely. "Well," she started and looked up at him, smiling shyly and trying to figure out what to say.

She never needed to, though, because his hands cupped her cheeks and his lips were against hers in an instant. For a fraction of a second she soared, but then she realised there was almost no pressure and he felt so tense, as though he wasn't sure this was what he really wanted. Terrified of him just doing this so she wouldn't leave him, she stood frozen with her eyes wide open, not knowing what to do.

He pulled back with a small sigh. Not much, though, just enough to release her lips and press his forehead against hers.

"Rose..." he murmured, sounding more vulnerable than she had ever heard him, "please kiss me back."

"You don't..." She released a shuddering breath. "I'll stay either way, Doctor," she whispered. "You don't have to do this."

He was trembling and his breath was uneven, as though he had forgotten all about his respiratory bypass system, but he stayed put. That's when she understood it wasn't uncertainty, or the notion that she'd leave him unless he gave in, that plagued him. He was nervous. Nine hundred-no a thousand-years of time and space and he was nervous kissing _her_. His words from the other day rang in her mind. _I lost you_. That's what he had said. At the time she had assumed he meant Canary Wharf, but perhaps he meant her packing her bag and leaving him? Even though her absence had been temporary, she had made it clear that she was done emotionally. Oh, maybe he thought he had gone and done it, at last, pushed her away and lost her love. Maybe he was afraid his advances wouldn't be welcomed anymore? The way she was reacting now did nothing to convince him otherwise.

Realisation flooded her with warmth from head to toe and, with newfound confidence, she closed the distance between them. Capturing his pouting lip, she found it fitted perfectly between her own two. It was soft and full and she had to nibble, just a little bit, and could feel him smiling as she did. His arms encircled her waist, pulling her close, until she could feel their three hearts beat fiercely in their chests.

Remembering she had hands of her own, she plunged them into his hair. She ran her nails over his scalp and revelled at the feel of his strands between her fingers. He shivered and moaned as she explored his cool mouth with soft, slow strokes of her tongue. He tasted like Venusian spearmint and she realised she must taste like fry up and sleep, but he didn't seem to mind so she stopped worrying about it. He reciprocated gingerly at first, but soon began to show her just how hungry he was for her and she quickly followed his lead.

As their tongues wrestled, her breathing increased and her whole body started tingling with anticipation. His fingers clutched at the small of her back and then trailed downward and slipped under the waistband of her pyjama trousers. She had always been proud of her bottom, and if the appreciative hums he let out were anything to go by, he liked it too and she couldn't help but smile at that. He alternated between caressing and squeezing her, as his fingers teasingly ran along the curve of her bum, making her shudder as heat rushed to her center.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" she asked, as he planted open-mouthed kisses down her neck to her shoulder.

He stood up straight, locking eyes with her and cupped her bum, pushing her closer, so she felt him hard against her. His eyes were close to black, shining with want, and the intensity of it all made her breath hitch.

"I mean," she whispered, slowly running her hands up and down his body, lingering at his nipples which hardened under her touch, "since you just woke up from-"

He cut her off by kissing her soundly, skating his hands up her back again and then around to her stomach. He caressed her warm skin, leaving gooseflesh behind, as he wandered up and found her breasts. She always imagined him doing a running commentary if they ever had sex, but he was completely silent aside from the soft sounds of pleasure purring in his throat. His eyes widened from surprise when he discovered she wasn't wearing a bra underneath her top. He cupped her breasts gently, feeling their weight, and began to slowly graze his thumbs over her nipples, watching her bite her lip and moan whilst arching into his touch.

The sounds she emitted made him lose all semblance of control as he suddenly grabbed the hem of her pyjama top and pulled it over her head, devouring her with hungry eyes. He growled at the sight of her bared before him and, cupping her breasts again, rolled her nipples between his fingers with a mischievous look in his eye. Rose quirked an eyebrow in response and quickly yanked his towel off but, before she had a chance to see exactly how alien he was, he was kissing her again, sucking gently on her tongue. He licked and nibbled his way down her neck and chest, capturing a nipple between his lips, running his tongue over it. Her hands grasped his head, holding him in place as he spent eons sucking hard, flicking his tongue and biting gently. She moaned and writhed because it felt _so good_, but eventually it became too much and she began to squirm under his ministrations.

She needed him to forget about her breasts and do _something_ about the throbbing ache between her legs, so she tugged at his hair to get his attention and he looked up at her, eyes glazed over. His heated gaze increased her need for him and she so desperately wanted to touch _him_ but, as she reached down to grab his cock, he pushed her back onto the bed and pulled off her pyjama bottoms and knickers in one go. After scooting up and propping her head up on a pillow, she watched him as he crawled on top of her with a predatory gleam in his eye. She licked her lips in anticipation, feeling a swooping feeling join the arousal already coiling in her belly.

This was really happening. She was finally going to be with him and now _she_ was the one getting a little nervous. She wasn't very experienced, since she'd only been with Jimmy, Mickey and that one night stand whose name she didn't remember, and she wanted desperately to be good enough for the Doctor. Who knew how many people he'd been with? Would a 21st century shop girl really be enough for him? Suddenly, he plunged his tongue into her mouth and his hand travelled down to her wet folds, exploring her with nimble fingers, and gone were her fears of inadequacy. There was only him, her, here and now.

She reached down between them to touch him and now he finally let her, so she ran her fingers along his length and around the head before wrapping her hand around him in a firm grip. He felt human, as far as she could tell. A little cooler and smoother, perhaps, curved upwards, rock hard and just _perfect_. Moving her hand up and down, she matched the rhythm of his fingers against her sex and he began to hum into her mouth. He slowly moved his way down, giving her wet kisses along the way and dipping his tongue into her navel, making her giggle. As he reached her center, he paused to spread her open for him and she had to fight the urge to press her thighs together. She wasn't comfortable being explored quite so thoroughly, but the look in his eyes was one of awe and she decided to do her best to ignore her hangups.

His eyes fluttered closed as he breathed her in and there was something so maddeningly sexy about it, she felt herself grow slicker. His nostrils instantly flared, as though he picked up on it, and a smug grin played upon his lips. He mumbled something she wasn't able to distinguish and then his tongue caressed her in long, firm strokes, causing her to moan loudly. Slipping two fingers into her heat, he increased the speed of his tongue and she started rolling her hips against him as he thrust into her repeatedly. The hungry noises he emitted as he devoured her made her feel so desirable she lost all self-consciousness and really let loose. She was louder than she could ever remember being and wildly bucked her hips as he sucked on her clit, so he wrapped his free hand around her, holding her in place.

It was so, so good and, as she was pushed further towards the edge, she tried to move away from him. His expression was wounded as he looked up at her, lips, chin and cheeks shining with her wetness, and she realised he thought it wasn't good enough. That _he_ wasn't.

"I want you inside me when I come for the first time," she explained, panting hard, and his face split into a wolfish grin.

She almost screamed from frustration when he kissed his way up her body. All she wanted was his cock inside her _now_. She spread her legs further apart and grabbed his erection to guide him to her entrance, but something in his eyes made her stop. Propping himself up on one hand, he caressed her cheek with the other. His eyes were dark, but warm and vulnerable, and she _knew_. He didn't have to say it. It was all there, written clearly on his face.

"I love you, too, Doctor," she whispered.

The corners of his lips curved slightly upward, and then he slid through her folds a few times, making himself slick and ready before pushing into her slowly, inch by inch, and watching her intently the whole time. Once he was fully inside her, he took a moment to kiss her so softly and she teared up from all the emotions whirling within her. After pressing several feather light kisses on her lips, he burrowed his face into the crook of her neck and started moving. She wrapped her legs around him, doing her best to press herself as close as possible, wanting to melt into him and become one. The angle was just right, making him hit that special spot inside her as he picked up the pace. She snaked her hand down between them, caressing the base of his cock as she rubbed herself, and they started rushing towards completion.

She pressed her heels into his bum once her orgasm hit and her muscles clenched hard around his cock. Following her over the edge, he tensed up and shuddered as he breathed her name into her ear. Grinding their hips tightly, they rode out the wave of their climax together as their movements slowed down and finally stilled. They lay quietly for a moment, catching their breaths and admiring one another's happy, flushed faces, but then he grabbed her and rolled her over so that they were both on their sides, still joined, and she felt that he was still _hard_.

"Didn't you...?" she asked, brow furrowed.

"Time Lord," he said with a smirk. "Can control my ejaculation as well as my erection."

"What, so you didn't..."

"I climaxed, but I didn't ejaculate. Very convenient, I must say. We don't have to think about protection...and why would I want a refractory period with this wanton, little minx in my bed?"

She beamed at him. "Yeah, why would you?"

"So," he said, and pulled her leg up over his hip, waggling his eyebrows, "I'm up for round two. How about you?"

"I don't think I can come again this soon. Never have before."

"Weeell, you've not been with _me_ before..." he said, looking very smug.

"You think you're so impressive," she said, giggling.

"You just wait and see, Rose Tyler," he growled, already moving inside her. 

* * *

He didn't make her come just one more time. No, he managed to coax five orgasms out of her-_five_-and she had lost count on how many times she had made him climax with her hands and wet heat and then finally sucked him off until he pulsed his seed into her mouth. She wasn't sure she actually wanted to know how many hours they had been at it. She had found out, though, that he had become increasingly talkative and playful each go and so had she. During their last bout they had giggled so hard they almost didn't finish.

Now they were both exhausted, sweaty and completely sated and her thighs trembled from the exertion. He was on his back and she was on her side, head resting on his shoulder.

"I'm really angry with you for making me wait so long for this, you know," she said, drawing patterns on his chest with her fingertips.

He beamed proudly. "So, it was good, I take it?"

She snorted. "You could say that, yeah. Was a little surprised, though. Thought you'd want to, you know..." She touched her temples.

"You're human, Rose. You wouldn't be able to handle it. Sharing one's mind becomes very intense when sex and emotions are involved."

"But that's how you'd do it with a, uhm, a Time Lady, yeah?"

"Yes."

"Was that why you didn't want to earlier?" she asked, sounding very small. "Was this not...good for you?"

His chest bounced up and down and she realised he was giggling quietly. "Not good?" He shook his head. "This was better than I could ever..." He cupped her cheek and tilted her head so he could look her straight in the eye. "This was _perfect_."

"Oh, okay. Good!" She smiled with relief. "Uhm, Doctor? Why would you barely let me touch you at first, though?"

"Weeell," he said, tugging a little on his ear. "This is a very sensitive body and I've never done this with it before, so I didn't know how I would react. Like you, I wanted to be inside you the first time," he said and kissed the top of her head.

"Oooh," she breathed, satisfied with his answer, but then something about what he said registered. "Wait!" She sat up and turned to him. "Never? You didn't with Re-reinette?"

"No. I know we weren't." He grabbed her hand and started playing with her fingers. "But I still... So I could _never_..."

She lay down again, brushing her lips against his cheek, extremely happy about being the first for this body. "Me neither. All this time, there was only you."

"Good," he said and nudged her nose with his, capturing her lips and tenderly kissing her. "Gallifreyans aren't good at sharing. We're possessive by nature."

"Hadn't noticed," she joked and tickled him.

He caught her fingers and kissed each tip. "I should be able to control it better being a Time Lord, and all. Always been the rebel, though, haven't I?"

"Lucky for me." She nuzzled his chest, breathing him in. "So, d'you want to take a shower and go out to the others and let them know you're alive and kicking? You might have to carry me, though, 'cause I'm pretty sure I've lost the use of my legs."

"Not even a little bit," he said, holding her tightly. "I _missed_ you. Having you back, getting used to that again, and then you leaving me for a whole week... There's nowhere I'd rather be than right here."

"Oh," she said, happiness flooding her system, making her tear up. "I missed you, too. But I'm, uhm, I'm glad I left. I needed to."

He sighed, but nodded. "Yes, that you did. Suppose I needed that, as well. Rose," he said, entwining his fingers with hers, "I'm so sorry for the way I've behaved and for taking you for granted. Wasn't fair on you."

"It's okay," she said, stroking his sideburn affectionately.

"No. No, it's not."

"No, suppose not. But I forgive you, anyway."

"What did I ever do to deserve you" he asked, eyes full of wonder, and he positioned them so he could run his fingers through her hair. "I, er, well, I had some time to think, during that week."

"Oh?"

"I never told you, but..." He cleared his throat and, sensing his unease she started stroking his chest comfortingly and ducked her head, knowing that direct eye contact would make it harder for him to open up.

"After you promised me forever, I was going to... Well, I lost you before I had the chance to-to do something about _us_," he explained and she hugged him closer, so relieved she hadn't imagined it. "So when you came back I was terrified that something would happen if I let myself... But that week, being apart and in a way losing you all over again… 'Cause I did, didn't I? You would stay, but you wouldn't..." He rubbed his free hand over his face. "Anyway, I thought of you as my weakness for so, so long. But you're not, are you? You're my-my strength."

"Oh, Doctor..." she said, moved by the sentiment but feeling the need to giggle. No one had ever said anything like that to her and she didn't know how to react.

"Bit too cheesy?" he asked, as though he sensed her trying to suppress laughter.

"Yeah, maybe a little bit." She looked up at him and gave him a tongue touched grin. "But...I love it."

"Rose Tyler," he said in that way only he could, eyes shining with affection for her. "I'm so glad I met you."

She burrowed her face into his side. "Me too."


	26. Shower

**Warning**: NSFW

* * *

"What time is it anyway?" asked Rose, still snuggled up in the Doctor's arms. They had been chatting for quite some time about her week with Martha and the others in Cardiff. Rose was scared he would be bored at first, but he had lain contentedly with his nose in her hair, tracing patterns over her stomach whilst listening.

"Your alarm clock would say a quarter to six."

"In the evening?" She turned around, gaping at him. "What the hell did we do all day?"

"Weeeell," he said, beaming and pressing his tongue to the roof of his mouth.

She elbowed him in the side. "Shut up."

"Do you want to get up?" he asked, sounding as though he wouldn't mind staying in bed for a little while longer.

"Suppose we should. The others must be worried, yeah? And I'm starving," she said and then let out a loud yelp as a platter of cold cuts and fruit appeared on the Doctor's nightstand. "Oooooh," she breathed and grabbed a juicy stone fruit they had bought on some asteroid market.

"I think the old girl is spoiling us." He grinned and then shoved a slice of ham into his mouth. "Shouldn't get too used to it, though."

"Thank you!" she said to the ceiling. "D'you think she's giving us approval to stay in bed the rest of the day?"

"And night! Yep, definitely," he said, chewing with his mouth open and still managing to look completely adorable.

So they did. They settled on cuddling and chatting since they were still a bit sore and she told him more about her year alone in her own London and he shared about his travels with Martha. It wasn't really what she wanted to talk about, though, and for a moment she considered trying to push him into opening up more. It seemed to have worked for Martha, after all. Rose had been really hurt when she heard about him telling the other woman all about Gallifrey. That wasn't their way, though. Rose always felt like she knew when to push and when to hold back and she couldn't let her ego get in the way right now. Her gut told her this was something he had to do in his own time and she would let him. What Hunt had done to him, why she wasn't allowed to see Sarah Jane and other questions she had would have to wait.

* * *

The Doctor and Rose slept through the night, cuddled together naked, and when she woke up, she realised she had drooled on his chest. She grabbed her top off the floor and wiped the moisture off his skin, feeling all warm inside because it made this thing between them seem so much more intimate, so much more _real_. She hadn't slept that well in ages and neither had he, she reckoned, as she watched him sprawled out on the bed completely relaxed. Her heart beat a little faster at the sight and it felt like nothing could make her stop smiling. She reached out, just because she could, and ran her fingers through the smattering of hair on his chest before rubbing her nose against his sternum, breathing in his scent. It was stronger there: a hint of cinnamon and something spicy mixed with the sweetness of apple. His coma aside, and she didn't want to count that, this must have been the first time he had slept in weeks and she didn't want to wake him. So, resisting the urge to kiss him from one nipple to the other, she pressed a light kiss to his forehead instead and sat up.

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and got up, stretching her naked body. She threw her arms up in the air and bent her torso slightly to first one side and then the other. After rolling her shoulders, she bounced a few times, shaking her arms, in an effort to wake her up body.

"That's a sight for sore eyes," she heard him murmur behind her.

"Quit ogling my bum," she told him, wiggling it teasingly.

"Never!"

She turned around to look at him over her shoulder, grinning at him. "I'm gonna hit the shower. Come with me?"

"Yep!" he said, quickly scrambling out of the bed, instantly awake.

His en suite was much larger than hers and had a shower stall fitted with a bench and it was spacious enough for both of them to move around comfortably as they washed each other's bodies and hair. Massaging his arms with an apple scented body wash, she caught sight of his de-nailed fingers and winced. The flesh was healed, at least, and all he needed was for the nail to grow back. She hadn't really thought about it the night before, since she had been a bit preoccupied, and felt ashamed of herself for not asking him about it.

"Does it hurt?" she asked, bringing his hand up to her lips.

"Not anymore."

She wrapped her arms around him. "I'm so sorry."

Their bodies were still slippery from the soap and he wiggled a little against her, giggling.

"How old are you, anyway?" she asked, pulling back so she could give him a mock stern look. "I'm trying to ask you how you're feeling and you... What are you doing, exactly?"

"You're like a Slip 'n Slide!" he chirped, eyes wide and sparkling with delight. "Oooh!"

She held up her hand and quickly jumped under the spray to rinse off, terrified of whatever idea had come over him. "Stop! If this involves me on the ground covered in slime and you running towards me-"

"Rose," he interrupted, scrunching up his face and showing her how silly he thought she was, "why would I want to do that?"

"Dunno. Some weird alien fetish thing. How should I know?"

He stared at her for a moment and then shook his head. "Anyway, what I was going to say, before you so rudely interrupted me to accuse me of weird, alien slime fetishes, was: We should go to a recreational planet! Imagine! Just you and me, Rose..." he trailed off as he saw the look on her face. "What?" he asked, and she quirked an eyebrow. "What?!"

She raised her other eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest, only to realise the movement made the Doctor shift all of his focus to her breasts, which were now pushed together in a way he obviously thought drool worthy. A slow smile spread across his face and he looked about forty times more daft than usual. She decided to experiment a little and tightened her arms around herself, making her cleavage even more pronounced, and cast a quick glance downward. His cock was twitching, slowly rising to the occasion.

"Really?" she asked, throwing some attitude in for good measure. He stepped back, held out his hands and shrugged, smiling and half hard. She wasn't upset, not at all-turned on, more like it-but she wanted to understand how he functioned.

"You must've spent _hours_ talking to me whilst I was in the tub," she said, and started counting along her fingers. "I once woke up on top of you and there was nothing going on in your trousers whatsoever; you had to suck poison out of my left buttock that time on that scorpio planet and you didn't even bat an eyelash; we've been to the beach at least five times and you've never looked at me once. Not even when I wore that tiny, white bikini-which I did just to see if I could finally get you to notice me, by the way. And now you get hard just 'cause I pushed my tits together?"

"Weeell, didn't think about you like that before," he said, and quickly took it back when her face fell. "No, no, no. That's not what I meant! I didn't_allow_ myself. Big difference. _Important_ difference. Wouldn't have gotten anything done if I... And I noticed! The white bikini with the, er..." He mimicked tying something at his hips. "Side tie thingies. _Very_ flattering," he said, nodding and drawing out the 'r'. "Especially when wet, 'cause I could almost see your...everything. See, I looked, I did. Promise! I just have quicker reflexes than you and averted my eyes before you noticed me noticing. I did think about you like that. And do! Still do, of course. Er, evidently," he said, glancing down at his erection. "But before..._us_, I mostly did the thinking alone and in the, er..." His grin returned and he shifted shyly, "...in the shower."

Rose's lips formed a pink 'o', and then quickly turned into a smirk. "So, you thought about me in the shower..." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Did you do anything about it?"

"Eeeer," he said, and cleared his throat.

"You did!" She drew in a sharp breath. "Had you been wanking before the club? Was that why you were so weird when I asked for your help with the necklace?" she asked, and grinned smugly when his eyes widened and everything about his body language yelled 'busted'.

"Well, I knew you wouldn't be wearing a lot of clothes, so I reckoned I should be, er, preemptive and take care of... Ahem. And then you came in, not wearing a lot of clothes, and I wasn't either, and I had just imagined you not wearing any clothes _at all_, really, and-"

"Oh, I see..." she interrupted and licked her lips. The thought of him stroking himself whilst picturing her made her tingle in all the right places. "Show me."

"Huh?" he squeaked.

"I'm here, in your shower, all naked, slippery and _very_ wet," she said, backing up to the bench and sitting down. "Show me."

"Uh…"

"Don't go all shy on me now, Time Lord," she teased, spreading her legs and seductively running her fingers from her collarbone down to her hipbone. "We spent yesterday exploring each other quite thoroughly. Is this any different?"

She'd never done anything like this and was really nervous, but the need to watch him made her feel bold. He was so sexy in the dim, soft light, and his body was glowing from the water droplets covering him. She thought about all the times he had been in here, fantasising about her, whilst she'd been in her room thinking about him. Such a waste.

"If you show me, I'll show you. 'Cause just so you know, Doctor," she said, voice husky. "I always thought of you when I got myself off. Every single time. And there were _a lot_ of times. Sometimes I didn't even lock the door," she confessed, ignoring her burning cheeks. "Was hoping you'd walk in on me."

"Oooh..." he breathed, and she dipped two fingers into her slick heat. He was transfixed, staring at her with his mouth hanging slightly open.

"Go on," she moaned, pumping slowly, biting her lip.

He shook his head to snap out of it and did as he was told. His eyes roamed over her body- from her flushed face to her breast and down to her hands working in a steady rhythm- as he started stroking himself. He was slow at first, just as she was, but soon he picked up the pace. He had a dazed, almost disbelieving, look in his eye; she could tell he would be quick, so she ignored her clit so she wouldn't be.

"Dry orgasm, yeah?" she panted. "I want you after."

He nodded and closed his mouth to swallow only to drop it open once again. She couldn't help but smile at the effect this had on him. It felt exhilarating and empowering, egging her on to be bolder; so, she started playing with her breasts, pinching her nipples and moaning loudly, as she watched him work his cock harder still. She switched hands so she could suck the juices off her fingers, making hungry noises and looking into his eyes. His tongue darted out to lick his lips, strokes turning erratic, and then his head lolled back as his orgasm hit. Although he was quiet, she could see it was intense and she found him absolutely beautiful. Oh, they had to do this again soon. There really was something special about watching such a haunted man become completely wrapped up in pleasure.

He barely gave himself time to catch his breath before he was on his knees in front of her, replacing her hand with his mouth. She placed her legs over his shoulders and his tongue swirled in and around her center, teasing her, before he put his hand to use as well. He repeatedly pumped his fingers into her as he sucked on her clit, humming in appreciation, and she rested one hand on the back of his head. It took him no more than a couple of minutes to make her clamp down hard on his fingers and he then eased her down from her high with slow and gentle licks.

He got up on his feet and, scooting her down a little, brought her legs up and around his hips. He effortlessly slid into her and she clutched the edge of the bench to steady herself as he started moving. His hard plunges and swift fingers brought her to a second orgasm so quickly it made her head spin and her cries of pleasure echoed in the shower stall. He firmly grabbed her hips, thrusting harder into her and soon she could tell by his movements that he was close. She pushed him away, slid down on the floor and finished him off with eager hands and mouth, swallowing down every drop.

Still on her knees, she wrapped her arms around him and sighed happily as she rested her cheek against his thigh. It struck her how quickly she had become comfortable with him, but she wasn't surprised. They were the Doctor and Rose, after all. They had always been leading up to this and they knew each other so well by now and trusted one another completely. He had always inspired her to try new things and venture out of her comfort zone and she couldn't wait to do so in this department as well.

"You were saying?" he asked, pulling her to her feet.

"Wha'?" she said. Had she spoken out loud?

"Earlier," he said, looking insultingly clearheaded whilst she felt all foggy from post coital bliss. "I said we should go to a recreational planet and you got upset with me-and, by all means, feel free to get upset with me anytime if this is the result."

"Shut up," she said and gave him a light smack on his arse. "Well, you excluded Martha and she needs a fun trip as much as you and me, Doctor. And considering everything, I think we should invite the others, as well. They're all pretty bummed out 'cause they never really saw anything of that planet. We should take all of 'em on a safe trip as thanks before we leave Cardiff, yeah? They did help setting up the call to my mum and everything."

"Hm... Suppose we could do that. Sounds awfully risky, though," he said, standing under the shower head, rinsing off. "I do have some bracelets with tracking devices... I, er," he started, and grinned as he looked at her, "I made them after you proved to be so very jeopardy friendly. But I quickly gathered that it wouldn't be received very well by you, so I scrapped the idea."

"Correct," she said, patting his shoulder. "Good boy."

"But...I suppose people would be all right with it considering the circumstances," he said. "Would only take me an hour to whip up a few more."

"All right. Let's get dressed and tell the others, then," she said, grabbing a pair of towels for them. "That bench, though... Pretty good idea!"

"Oh! Yes, brilliant! But I can't take the credit. Wasn't there yesterday, so I suppose the TARDIS suspected something like this would happen."

"Thanks, old girl," Rose said, stroking the walls, but then she furrowed her brow. "Wait... Dunno how I feel about that, actually. Isn't it a little bit weird? Going at it in a sentient ship and her _helping_ us."

He shrugged. "Sort of like shagging in front of one's cat, I reckon. Not too upsetting."

"No? But you hate cats," she teased him.

"Do not!"

"Yeah, you do."

"Definitely not. Fluffy, cute, strong, independent and never do what you tell them to do. What's not to like? Sounds a lot like my favourite person, actually."

"Really? Who's that, then?" she asked, thinking he was talking about some historical figure.

He stared at her as though she'd dribbled on her, well not shirt, but the TARDIS blue towel covering her body.

"Ooooh," she said and grinned. "Thanks. Why did you tell me you hate cats, though?"

"Did I?"

She nodded. "Yep. In, uhm, Dame Kelly something. Chloe Webber's street."

"Ah. That. Weeeell," he said, tugging at his ear. "I might've been the tiniest bit...jealous."

"Of a _cat_?"

"You called him beautiful, petted him and he was _ginger_!" he huffed, pouting.

"Oh, Doctor," she said, leaning against him and giggling. "Wouldn't trade you for all the beautiful, ginger cats in the universe."

"Really?"

"Really. I'll just pop into my room and get dressed, then, yeah?"

"No!" he said and grabbed her hand. "I'll be real quick and then I'll come with you."

"What? Why?"

"Weeeell," he said, shifting a little from one foot to the other. "It's just..." He pulled her close and rested his forehead against hers. "I _missed_ you," he whispered. "Just wanna be near you, all right?"

"My lil' puppy," she said affectionately, cupping his cheek and kissing him. "All right, then. But, once the honeymoon stage is over, I'm walking freely, you hear?"

"Yes, sir!" He gave her a mock salute and then opened up his closet to get his suit, an oxford, a pair of boxers, a tie, socks and a henley.

When Rose noticed that his boxers had the exact same pattern as his tie, she started laughing. "You match your pants with your tie?"

Looking a bit affronted, he held out the garments in front of him. "Of course! I'm not a savage, Rose." He narrowed his eyes. "How do you do it, then?"

"Dunno. Just grab whatever's clean."

"Sorry? You don't even make sure your brassiere matches your-your knickers?" he said, looking as though it was the most scandalous thing he'd ever heard.

"Oh, my god. Just when I think you can't become even more of an adorable idiot..."

She walked up to him and kissed him tenderly, thrilled she could actually kiss him whenever she wanted…or could she? Mickey had always been okay with kissing in public, but Jimmy had only allowed it when he'd been the one initiating it.

"Doctor? S'one thing I wanna ask before we go see the others."

"Hm?" he said, kissing her again.

"Can I kiss you whenever I want now?"

"Yep."

"Even if it's often?"

"Especially if it's often," he said softly, nudging her nose with his.

"Even if we're amongst others?"

"Oh, yes. Gotta show everyone who you belong to so they don't get any ideas," he said, putting on his pants. "You're mine now, Rose Tyler."

"Am I?" she asked, amused, purely to rile him up a little.

"Well, yes!" he said, all seriousness. "Doesn't matter that I can't form a proper bond, this is still how this works. You're mine, I'm yours. No one else. _Ever_."

"I know," she said, running her fingers through his hair to calm him down again. "Was just teasing."

"Anyway, I'm surprised you even have to ask," he said, stepping into his trousers. "When have I ever _not_ touched you constantly, no matter what time or place or in what company? I've always shown others you're _mine_. Right from the start. Kissing's no different."

"Didn't do such a good job showing me that, though," she said, provoked by his arrogance. She had meant to say it teasingly, but it came out glum and she cringed. "Sorry, didn't mean-"

"No, it's all right," he said, a bit curtly, pulling his henley over his head. "Suppose I deserve that."

"No, you don't. I know it was hard for you and I'm sorry. Dunno why I said that," she said, blushing and staring at her feet.

"Probably because you're still harboring some resentment over it."

"No, that's _not_ true. You had to be ready. Wouldn't work otherwise, yeah? I get that. I don't resent you or anything."

"Wouldn't blame you if you did, you know. I was a right-a right..."

"Git?"

"Weeell, was probably gonna go with something like buffoon," he said, pouting his lips exaggeratedly at the 'oo'. "But...suppose git will suffice." He finished buttoning his shirt. "It's okay, Rose. Really," he assured her and kissed the tip of her nose. "C'mon, let's get you dressed." 

* * *

They strolled hand-in-hand to the galley and found it already occupied by Martha, Sandy and all of the Torchwood team. Ianto, Martha, Tosh and Owen were playing a strategy board game from the 55th century and Jack, Gwen and Sandy were exchanging anecdotes about their worst one night stands. A table full of all kinds of breakfast food-anything from buttermilk pancakes, bacon and scrambled eggs to yoghurt, croissants and exotic fruits from all over the universe-stood at the far end of the room. The others had already dug in and had one or more plates of goodies each in front of them. Happy, fun pop music from all of space and time was playing and on the kitchen table stood a vase full of freshly picked wildflowers from one of the gardens.

"You're making yourself at home, I see," the Doctor said, giving them all stern looks.

"Finally!" Jack exclaimed, slow-clapping. He whistled and then grinned from ear to ear, looking at them from head to toe.

"Oh, you've missed me _that_ much, have you? Well, no need to fret, Jack. I'm out of the woods."

"That's not why I'm applauding," Jack said, leering at them.

"Oh?" the Doctor squeaked.

"Good to see you finally got your head out of your ass and in between Rose's-"

"Jack!" she interrupted, glaring at him.

"I don't know what you're talking about," the Doctor said firmly, but he kept holding her hand.

"Have you seen yourselves?" Jack asked.

The Doctor and Rose looked at each other. She searched his few patches of uncovered skin for scratches, bite marks and hickeys, but he was clean. She was pretty sure she was as well.

"You guys have goofy just-got-fucked-properly-for-the-first-time-in-yea rs grins. You," he said, pointing at them and smiling as Rose blushed, "could just as well have walked in here naked and all over each other. It's _that_ obvious."

"Eeeer," said the Doctor eloquently.

"Don't listen to him," said Martha. "Okay, it is obvious, 'cause you're practically glowing, but we already knew."

"Uhm..." said Rose, exchanging looks with the Doctor.

"This," Martha said and gestured around the room, "this isn't us. We've not lifted a finger since yesterday. The TARDIS has spoiled us rotten. We reckon she's in a good mood."

"Yeah, first we thought she was just happy 'cause you woke up or something. But you never showed up and then we put two and two together," said Jack. "Congratulations! Not one day too soon if you ask me."

"The TARDIS did all of this?" Rose said, gaping at the delicious buffet.

"Yup!" said Jack.

"Why?" she asked the Doctor.

The Doctor rubbed his neck. "Weeell, she's sentient, so she thrives on positive energy. That's why she's always liked you," he explained and bumped his hip against hers.

"Oh! 'Cause I'm a positive person," she said, nodding.

"That's not what I meant. She's bonded to me, so she's happy when _I'm_ happy," he said tenderly, and leaned in to kiss her.

Butterflies whirled around in her stomach and she sighed contentedly, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him back. She heard Owen mutter something about how they could at least make it hot and steamy instead of saccharine if they had to kiss in the middle of breakfast, but they ignored him.

"Anyway," said the Doctor, finally breaking free, "we've decided to say thanks by taking you lot on a trip to Tivoli Caesar VIII. It's a recreational planet with amusement parks, water parks, zoos, er..." He looked at Jack. "Bars and strip clubs, too-"

"Alien strippers?" asked Owen, as the others started to chat excitedly.

"Oh, yes. Mostly humanoids but they have a wide variety. I know the three breasted stripper in Bazongas is very popular amongst humans. Apparently, she reminds them of a character in a little film called-"

"Total Recall!" exclaimed Owen.

"Yep. Voted most popular cult film in Earth history in the Planetary Film Festival of 2465. I was voting for Rocky Horror Picture Show, but apparently three breasted women beat men in fishnet stockings-"

"That could be an interesting combination..." said Jack, waggling his eyebrows.

"Aaanyway, you lot get ready. We're leaving in an hour. I just have to make a few tracker bracelets for you. It's mandatory. Don't like it? Then you're staying in Cardiff," the Doctor said, before anyone had enough time to protest. "Oh, and Sandy. I'm so sorry. I didn't bring your necklace back from Hunt-"

"It's okay, Doc," interrupted Jack. "Hunt had it in his pocket and Tosh removed the transmitter. It's all good."

"Ah! Well, just gonna eat something and then I'll get started," he said, grabbing two plates to get himself and Rose some breakfast.

He had barely left Rose's side before Jack was all over her with a million questions about how the Doctor was in bed. He asked if he was big (Jack was sure he was); if he was kinky (Jack was even more sure of that); how alien he really was; if he had put his oral fixation to good use; if he was hairy; if he had wanted her to stick anything up his bum; if they would ever consider a threesome and so on. Rose merely laughed at him and mimicked zipping her mouth shut.

"You're such a drag," Jack said, narrowing his sparkling eyes. "But I can still tell by the way you walk it was _fantastic_."

She glanced at the Doctor, who stood by the buffet, back straight and head held high, looking extremely pleased with himself.

"Brilliant, even," she said, grinning. 

* * *

__

_**A/N:**__ About the Doctor and his orgasms. He can dry come a bunch of times, but if he ejaculates he has a refractory period. So every time he comes, assume it's dry unless stated otherwise. (And if anyone's really interested, this far he's only ejaculated in her mouth)._


	27. Bonding

They spent the whole day having fun on the recreational planet before they decided to end their outing with a visit to the alien stripclub Bazongas. The establishment served hypervodka, excellent beer and really tasty barbecued wings of some sort. They weren't chicken but they tasted close enough. Rose, Jack and Martha were not squeamish, since one really couldn't be when travelling with the Doctor, but the others were a bit apprehensive. It wasn't until Gwen finally tore off a large chunk of meat with her teeth and made a thumbs up that they others decided to dig in for themselves. They had arrived just in time for the highly anticipated act by the three-breasted stripper and, thanks to the Doctor's psychic paper, were seated at a table close to the stage.

"She really does have three tits!" said Owen without ever taking his eyes off the gorgeous, pink-skinned alien. "Could almost see myself shagging her, even though she's an alien. What's that like, anyway," he asked, turning to Rose. "Does he have anything weird down there?"

"That's none of your business," she replied.

"How many aliens have you boffed, Jack?" Owen asked. "You've probably tried every species and gender there is."

The whole table looked very interested all of a sudden and Jack's face split into a wide grin. "Wouldn't you like to know."

"What was it you said about him, Doctor?" said Rose. "'So many species, so little time'?"

"Maybe that's why you made him immortal," Owen suggested with a smirk.

"Uhm," Rose said, fiddling with her hoop earring. Jack's resurrection was still a bit of a sore subject for her and she couldn't quite forgive herself, since he hadn't been given a choice in the matter at the time. "Yeah, maybe," she said and plastered on a smile.

She couldn't fool Jack, though. "It's okay, hon. I told you: I've made my peace with it. And I have screwed quite a few people since, so I suppose Owen's not all wrong."

"I've always found him completely wrong," said Ianto.

"Oi, shut it, tea boy," snarked Owen and then he turned to the Doctor. "How many credits to get a lap dance from Little Miss Three Tits over there? I need to motorboat her. For science, of course."

"Knock yourself out," replied the Doctor, handing over a credit stick. "Unlimited credits."

Owen scurried away to get his lap dance and Rose whispered 'thank you' in the Doctor's ear. This Owen wasn't even half as bad as the parallel version, but there was still something cold about him that really set her teeth on edge.

"Tell you one thing, though," said Jack, holding a really large glass full of frothy, burgundy beer, "Tentacles are a lot more fun than you'd imagine and sex with a telepath is _fantastic_." He leered at Rose, nodding knowingly, and she didn't know how to react. Jack, of course, caught on and turned to the Doctor. "You're not holding out on her right, Doc?"

"The mind of a Time Lord is too vast to be shared with non-telepathic species," explained the Doctor. "A human brain wouldn't be able to process it and would most likely burn."

"Does that mean you won't bond, either?"

"We won't," the Doctor confirmed.

It wasn't her fault, but Rose felt guilty and stupid nonetheless. He'd never really explained how a bond worked but, after the Isolus, he had talked a little about his telepathic abilities and the mental connection his people shared. Losing them had made everything quiet, she knew that much and, although she rarely felt inadequate with the Doctor, this was one thing she could never give him and it hurt.

"M'sorry Doctor. I wish I could be that for you. Wish I could fill the emptiness," she said and tried to swallow down the lump in her throat.

"But you do," he said in her ear, so close none of the others could hear him. "That's what you've always done. That's why..." He sighed, pulling her up in his lap and wrapping his arms around her. "You make everything easier to bear-the pain, the memories, the guilt, the loss-just by being by my side, by being _you_."

"Yeah?"

"Yes," he said and kissed her.

She moved so she was straddling him and passionately reciprocated his kiss. His hands wandered to her back, pressing her closer to him, and they snogged each other breathless. During the day, she had tried not to be too affectionate with the Doctor, since she knew Martha still felt something for him, but Rose really needed this right now. Maybe she couldn't form a mental bond with him, but she could be a warm, safe harbour and that would have to be enough.

Gwen, who was sitting to Rose's left, elbowed her in the side and Rose released the Doctor with a pop.

"He's been trying to get your attention for a while," said Gwen, nodding at Jack.

"Sorry," Rose said, smiling as she turned around.

"No problem! I had a spectacular view while waiting," he said and gave her a big, toothy grin. "I'm just curious, Doc. Why d'you think she can't handle it? She seems to be handling her connection with the TARDIS just fine."

"Her what?" asked the Doctor.

"Haven't you told him?" asked Martha.

"Told me what?"

"No, I have. You know that she helps me," she said, turning to face the Doctor. "She makes it easier to deal with the dreams and I like spending time with her. Her singing soothes me, yeah?"

"Yes, I know that. But that's expected. Engine sounds and her humming remind humans-or any mammals, really-of their time in the womb."

"That's not all of it," said Jack. "She's the one who convinced the TARDIS to rescue you."

The Doctor's eyebrows shot up. "What? When I felt you materialise the TARDIS, she told me what happened and, according to her, she just needed to assist you, Jack."

"No, Rose did it," said Martha. "And she told me the TARDIS showed her the way home when she escaped from that king, she did. They talk to each other all the time. Haven't you noticed?"

The Doctor frowned, looking at Rose. "Is this true?"

"Well, yeah," she said with a shrug. "But it's nothing like what you do."

"Of course not. I've been with her for centuries. But still... It should be impossible for you to communicate like that. Why haven't you told me?"

"I thought you knew," she said. "S'not like I've been keeping it a secret."

The Doctor rubbed his neck and then ruffled his hair. "This is strange... What's even more strange is that I've not thought about this at all. Now that you mention it, I _have_ noticed. I just...forgot. That's rather alarming, isn't it?" he asked, looking confused, voice a bit high pitched. "I think I'll need to have words with my ship when we get back."

The Doctor and Rose were now both too preoccupied with their own thoughts to be much company, but luckily the party only lasted another hour or so. Since everybody was tired, and either tipsy or flat out drunk, they decided to sleep in the TARDIS and wait until the morning to say their goodbyes to Sandy and the Torchwood team.

"I'd like to keep Hunt. Wanna see if he knows anything about my missing two years. That okay with you, Doc?" Jack asked as they got back to the console room. The Doctor nodded. "Great. Goodnight," he said and slipped away to his room with Ianto.

Martha reined in the rest of them and showed them to the bedroom quarters to find them places to sleep, leaving the Doctor and Rose alone.

"So are you gonna talk to the TARDIS now, Doctor?" asked Rose.

"I'll do it afterwards when you're sleeping. I don't need to sleep tonight."

"After what?" she asked innocently, knowing full well what he meant.

"After sex," he said, as though it was obvious and she blinked a few times, raising her eyebrows at him just to tease. "What?" he asked.

"You're already taking _that_ for granted, I see," she said, smirking, but then his face fell. "I'm just kidding!" she rushed to assure him and then giggled as he tickled her in retaliation.

"C'mon, let's go to bed," he said, grabbing her hand and leading her to his bedroom. "Maybe we can ask her to move your things tomorrow."

"My things?"

"Well, yes," he said, cocking an eyebrow at her. "You're moving into my room. Or do you want to pick out a new one for us?"

"No," she said, beaming and feeling all warm inside. "Yours will do. Just thought you might want to keep it in case you decide to hide away, yeah?"

"Oh, believe me. If I want to hide, there's no way you'll find me," he teased her and bumped her hip.

"Oh, I dunno. I've got the TARDIS on my side..." she retorted, grinning. She opened the door, ran up to the bed and threw herself on it, bouncing a little. "Does this mean I can look in all of your drawers and wardrobes and things?"

"Yep. It's our room now. Besides, I don't have anything to hide," he said, removing his tie and unbuttoning his shirt.

"Oooh," she chirped, pulling open the drawer in one of the nightstands, expecting to find some boring bits and bobs from the TARDIS or maybe a journal.

"No!" the Doctor shouted and she froze mid-movement, staring at him with wide open eyes.

"You just said you didn't have anything to hide!" she exclaimed and then furrowed her brow as she saw the Doctor's cheeks turn a little pink. "Why are you..." She threw a glance at the contents of the drawer, thinking maybe he kept his Time Lord porn stash there or something, and gasped as she saw her missing purple top. "My top!"

The Doctor was shifting from foot to foot and rubbing his neck, looking anywhere but at her.

"I knew it! Well, I didn't know it, but I knew something weird was... Hey! Did you spend time in my room when I was gone?" she asked, suddenly remembering how her bed had smelled like him her first day back.

"Eeeer..."

"I knew it!" she repeated, but then she saw how embarrassed he looked and motioned him to come over to her by curling her finger. "C'mere, Doctor. S'all right." He sat down beside her and she flung her arms around him, whispering in his ear: "I don't mind. I missed you, too, and I wish I had had something like this to remember you by. All I had was your psychic paper. Used to smell it, though, when I was feeling lonely or was going to sleep," she confessed.

"You did?" he asked, looking happier.

"Yeah. Is that what you did with this?" she asked and the pink tint returned to his cheeks as he looked sheepishly at her. "Ooooh," she said, trying not to chuckle. "That's all right, too. Why this, though? Out of all the-"

"You kissed me in that," he blurted out. "Weeeell, it was Cassandra, but I didn't know that until later. And it was, well...it still was the only time you, well your _body_, kissed this body, so..."

"Thought you said you catalogued my saliva, or whatever," she amusedly pointed out.

"I did. But...that was just to stop myself from finding a supply closet and pulling you inside to have my way with you," he said, grinning.

"You really thought it was me?"

"Weeell, I am a bit of all right this time around." He sniffed and smugly cocked his head. "Reckoned you couldn't help yourself."

"You're so full of yourself."

"Would _you_ like to be full of myself?"

She scrunched up her face, smiling. "Does that even make sense?"

"No idea. I was thinking of having my way with you in a dark supply closet. All my blood has relocated. So...would you?" he said, waggling his eyebrows.

"Always," she murmured, pulling him down on top of her. 

* * *

The whole Torchwood team stood huddled by the doors, looking out over the busy Varhian street where they were dropping off Sandy. They were not allowed to leave the TARDIS in case someone decided to wander off. The Doctor apologised for the delay in getting her back home, since their trip turned into over two weeks mostly spent in Cardiff, but Sandy said she was grateful for the experience and enjoyed her time with everyone. The Varhian police had already opened up an investigation against Stefan, so Tosh had given Sandy a ziplock bag with the transmitter.

"This was a pleasure. Truly," Sandy said, smiling, and then she kissed Jack and Ianto on the mouth. "I hope we meet again someday."

"Well," said the Doctor, holding out his hand, "if you give me your communicator, I can sonic it so you can ring the TARDIS anytime if you need us."

"Why, thank you, dear Doctor. I would love that very much." Sandy hugged everyone goodbye and waved as she was leaving. Rose might not have liked her very much in the beginning, as she had been blinded by her jealousy; however, now it felt strange seeing her go. Sandy had become valued member of their little group.

"I have a feeling we'll see her again," said the Doctor, putting his arm around Rose's shoulder. "Now, c'mon. Next stop: Cardiff!"

He bounced back to the console to punch the coordinates into the directional unit and managed to land ten minutes later without anyone falling to the floor. They exchanged goodbyes and thanks with the team, knowing they would see each other again soon. Rose would be talking to her mum once a month, so they decided they would also visit the hub and go out for drinks with the team. Rose was really pleased with this decision, since she'd always felt that visiting London somewhat regularly kept her at least a little grounded. It was so easy to forget her own world and time whilst travelling with the Doctor.

They team went back to the hub, but Jack lingered at little. "I'm really happy for you guys." He held them close for a moment and then gave them chaste kisses on the lips. "Take care of each other for me," he said and then left.

The Doctor turned to his two companions and asked them where they wanted to go next but, just as Rose was about to suggest a visit to some historical figure, Martha piped up.

"I'd like to go home."

Rose gasped. "No! Not already!"

"Nah, you won't get rid of me that easily. Still got a couple of months left in me, I reckon," Martha said, smiling. "But I don't much fancy being the fifth wheel, so you could travel alone for a little while and get used to each other. Pick me up after your next call to Jackie, yeah?"

Rose couldn't really blame her friend. No matter how determined one was, it wasn't easy shutting down one's feelings. Watching the Doctor and Rose being sickeningly in love had to be hard on her.

"Yeah, all right. We'll miss you, though," Rose said.

Martha laughed and shook her head. "No, you won't. Anyway, I'll just get a few things. See you in a bit."

"I feel bad," Rose said when they were alone in the console room.

The Doctor snuck up behind her, wrapping his arms around her and resting his chin on her shoulder. "Still...probably for the best, I reckon. Can't be easy for her, seeing us."

"What? You knew?"

She felt him shrugging. "I usually do. And I usually pretend I don't."

"Sounds like you," she said, shaking her head at the daft alien. "Is it common? Your travelling friends falling for you?"

"Yes."

"Has...uhm...am I... Did you..." She swallowed and licked her lips.

"Yes, I've been intimate with one or two of them. Yes, I've been smitten a couple of times, but not enough to have a romantic relationship with any of them. Was that what you wanted to know?"

She smiled and gently elbowed him. "Yeah."

He kissed her cheek and returned to the console so he could land in Martha's flat. They had just materialised when the woman appeared with a bag slung over her shoulder.

"See you soon, yeah?" she said, hugging both of them. "I'll call you if I need you and you do the same," she said, waving her super phone in the air. "And if not, I'll trust you're picking me up in a month, right?"

"Yep!"

"You be safe, now," she said, smiling, and then she turned to the Doctor and pointed sternly at him. "And you, mister, you treat her right, or else..."

"I will, Martha," he said, looking serious.

They waved her off, hand-in-hand, and watched her go down the ramp and out through the TARDIS doors and Rose was finally alone with the Doctor for the first time since she came back to this universe.

"You and me, the old team," she said, leaning against the console. "Just like the good, old days."

"Not quite," he replied, untucking and unbuttoning his shirt. "See, there's recently been made quite the improvement to our arrangement, Miss Tyler."

"Oh?" she said, grinning with her tongue poking out between her teeth.

"Yep. Works best in the buff, though," he told her and gave her a pointed look.

"I thought you were going to tell me about the TARDIS..."

"I will but first I'm going to fuck you in the console room," he said, letting his trousers fall to the floor.

"Doctor!" She gasped, a little shocked by his choice of word, but definitely onboard.

"I've wanted to do that since you first stepped inside those doors, Rose Tyler, and we're finally alone, so strip."

She walked up to him, licking her lips, and ran her fingers down his naked chest. "Shouldn't we at least leave Martha's flat first? We still haven't dematerialised..."

The Doctor's eyes grew wide. "Oh. Yes! Right on it."

Snickering, Rose proceeded to undress herself and five minutes later they were indeed fucking in the console room.

* * *

Rose sat on the gurney in the infirmary, picking at her nails. The Doctor was finally going to explain to her what was going on with her and the TARDIS. He seemed worried, though, so she stroked his arm affectionately to calm him.

"Is it that bad?"

He ran his hands over his face. "No, it's not. You're fine, she's fine, but some of the information... Well, it might be upsetting for you..."

"What is it, then?"

Turning towards her, he grabbed her hands and looked at her with a concerned, almost apologetic, expression. "When the two of you saved me from the Daleks, you bonded. After I removed the time vortex from you, the connection to my ship remained. It's not something that I could ever break."

"Isn't that a good thing, though?" she asked, hope rising within her. This could mean that she could be bonded with the Doctor after all.

"I'm so sorry, Rose," he said, brushing his thumbs over her knuckles. He sighed heavily and she steeled herself for whatever he was going to say. "She's the reason why you drained people of their life force in Pete's World. I'm so, so sorry."

"What?" she croaked. "I don't understand."

"I think you would've faded away in Pete's World. Just been gone and then the universe would've sorted itself: Mickey would've become Rickey, Jackie would never have had a daughter... But since you're bonded with the TARDIS, she protected you."

"How is that even possible?"

He sighed. "Well... There are a few remnants of the time vortex lingering in you. I can't remove them, no one can. It's a part of you now, ingrained in your DNA most likely. It's not something you can access as far as I know. She can, though, and she did. Right after Pete got you. See, she knew, so she just nudged them before the breach closed and made them aware so you would be protected."

"What do you mean? S'like Bad Wolf did that? I did that? _I_ hurt all those people?" she asked, hands trembling.

"It was not conscious on your part, Rose," he comforted, caressing her cheek.

"And that makes it better? Was still me!" she cried. "You're telling me my subconscious thought I was more important than all those innocent people? More important than _Tony_!" She was feeling sick to her stomach now.

"No, of course not," he whispered into her ear, pulling her in for a hug. "Remember that scorpion that stung you? It didn't do that because it's evil or selfish. It did it to protect itself. That was all this was. Self-preservation. Instinct. You can't blame yourself for that."

"Can't I?" she said, tears trickling down her cheeks.

"Oh, Rose," he breathed and kissed her temple. "Tony is safe and you are here. It's all over."

"Yeah, but..." she said and drew in a shuddering breath. "Yeah okay, you're right. Doesn't make anything better, dwelling on that. But, Doctor, why didn't you tell me I still had those-those remnants in me?"

"I didn't know!" he said and she gave him disbelieving look. "No, I swear, I didn't! She's been blocking your bond from me and did her best to keep me from even thinking about your relationship. It was easier before you... Before Canary Wharf. She says you weren't really aware back then, but since you came back..."

"Yeah, we're closer now," Rose explained. "Think it's 'cause I didn't need her as much before 'cause I had you but..." She looked up at him, worrying her lip. "Well, didn't have you the same way, did I? Not after I came back. You weren't really there for me, I suppose. Needed her more. Felt like I could tell her anything, whilst you only confused me."

"I'm sorry, Rose. I know I've been-"

"You've apologised enough, Doctor. I know," she said, nuzzling his cheek. "S'all right. I forgive you, you know that."

"Mm," he agreed, turning his head so he could capture her lips.

"Why, though?" she said, too distracted by all the questions whirling around in her mind to kiss him.

"Hm?"

"Why would she keep that from you?"

"Firstly she wanted you to develop your bond in peace and secondly... Weeell," he said, rubbing his neck. "She knew I was on my way to accepting the way I, er..." He cleared his throat, gesturing at her.

"...the way you feel about me," she filled in.

"Yes, that," he said, nodding. "Knowing all of this would just muck things up."

"Why?"

"Because…" He took her hand and held it against his chest, "I needed to get _here_ all on my own. Allowing myself to fall for a mortal woman, to take that plunge, regardless of how long your forever would be or even if we could form a bond. She knew this so she interfered."

"What do you mean 'how long my forever would be'? We've always known it'll be rather short compared to your lifespan."

"I've not told you a lot about the way a bond would work, or the ways it _could_ work. It is possible to tie your lifespan to mine if we bonded. You would still be mortal and you wouldn't regenerate, but your aging process would slow down considerably. Your healing is already a little bit better than a human's and it would be even better still if we...if we bonded."

"Really? But that's good, though, Doctor. Isn't it good?"

"Well..." he said, looking uncomfortable.

"You don't want that?" she whispered, mouth very dry all of a sudden.

"It's not that I don't want it. But living this long, it's not a blessing," he said seriously. "I wouldn't wish it on anyone, especially not someone I..."

"But we'd have each other," she said, wanting him to understand what a gift this was. "Better with two, yeah?"

He got up from the gurney and started pacing the room. "Either way I need to run tests, examine your mind if you'll let me, check our compatibility, and..." He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "It shouldn't be harming you, I don't think. We would've noticed already, and the TARDIS didn't say anything about it. Fairly sure she'd know. Hm... I should be able to..."

He proceeded to think out loud, barely looking at her and when he did it was with that clinical face he always wore when he acted as her actual doctor.

"You're not..." She swallowed, staring at the Doctor. "You're not distancing yourself from me now, are you?"

"What? No! No, no, no!" He rushed up to her and, crouching in front of her, took her hands. "I'm just trying to think. I'm never letting you go now, Rose Tyler." He kissed her soundly, making her tingle all over.

"Good. Don't scare me like that."

"Sorry," he said, pulling her up to stand so they could hug. "I'm just worried."

"Aren't you always, though," she said, chuckling. "C'mon, then. No time like the present. Let's run those tests."

The Doctor was a bit apprehensive at first, since Rose had spent all that time in Pete's World being prodded and tortured, but she assured him that it wasn't traumatic for her when he was the one performing the tests. She trusted him completely. It took most of the afternoon and he used a lot of machines. Rose gave up trying to understand all that was happening after the first half hour. When they were finally done with the tests, all that was left was him entering her mind.

"Are you sure, Rose?" he asked, fingers hovering at her temples. "I know how you feel about this."

"Yeah, s'different now. We're different. Go on."

"Okay. Just...if you find yourself able to enter my mind, don't. It's not that I wouldn't welcome you, because I would, but I don't want to overwhelm you, all right? We have to do this nice and slow."

"Nice and slow," she repeated, nodding, and then his fingers touched her skin and the world around them faded away.

* * *

_Looking around, Rose found herself standing on Bad Wolf Bay, of all places. Unlike last time, however, it was sunny, the sky and the water were blue and the breeze was invigorating. The Doctor appeared before her, all brown-and-blue and pinstriped, but this time he didn't look old and worn. Even though her initial feeling had been negative as she found herself on that bloody beach again, there was something healing about being back under completely different circumstances, and she understood why her mind had chosen this place._

"Hello," he said.

"Can I?" she asked, raising her hand towards his cheek. He nodded. A wave of relief and happiness washed over her as she could feel the roughness of his stubbled skin against her palm. "Wow, this feels so real. What are our bodies doing now?"

"Nothing. We're just sitting on the gurney."

"But, I can feel you."

"It's just your brain accessing your memory of how it feels to touch my cheek."

"Can we shag in here?"

"Rose Tyler," he said, laughing and shaking his head. "Yeah, we can, but not right now. We're here for a reason, remember?"

"Yeah, all right, spoilsport," she said and stuck her tongue out. "Hold on. Didn't you say it would be too intense for me?"

"Two different things. We're inside your mind now and you're letting me take a peek. If we were to have sex and share our minds, it would be an overload of emotions and sensations. You would feel everything I feel and vice versa and none of us would have much control. If done with the right person it's...well...brilliant, really," he said, grinning. "But I won't do that unless I'm sure you can handle it. Which brings us back to why I am here, in your mind."

"All right," she said, clapping her hands together. "Let's do this!" She crinkled her nose. "Wait, how do we do this?"

He made a happy sound in the back of his throat, staring at her adoringly, and she could feel herself blushing even in this state.

"Rose Tyler..." he whispered, brushing his lips against hers. "I need to see how strong you are," he continued, voice loud and clear now. "Back up a bit, will you. I will throw things at you and you just catch them."

"Huh?"

He shrugged. "It's a method. It will tell me what I need to know."

"So, I needn't worry my pretty little head, then?" she joked, tongue between her teeth.

He laughed. "Precisely. Now, pay attention, Tyler."

All of a sudden he had a tennis ball in his hand and he threw it at her. She caught it and raised her eyebrows questioningly at him.

"Keep up!" he shouted, throwing two more at her. "Now, juggle them."

"I don't know how to juggle," she said, cradling the tennis balls against her chest.

He gave her a lopsided smile. "Humour me."

"All right," she muttered, throwing the balls in the air without knowing what to do. To her surprise, she found herself handling the three tennis balls with ease. "Look at me, Doctor! I'm juggling," she chirped, eyes shining with delight.

"Yep! Here are some more!"

He kept throwing things at her and at first it was just different kinds of balls. After a while, though, all sorts of odd objects appeared-even a couple of lit torches. For some reason, she did exceedingly well. It was as though her body knew what to do even though she didn't. Her hands moved on their own accord and she exchanged a proud smile with the Doctor.

"Tell me all the shires in England in alphabetical order."

"What?" she asked, without dropping a single object.

"C'mon, Tyler. Stop thinking and just do as I say," he said, motioning her to get on with it, and she did, still juggling like a pro. "And all the countries of the world, still in alphabetical order," he told her and then proceeded to quiz her about this and that.

When he wanted her to tell him all the stars of a galaxy she'd never heard of and she still passed with flying colours, she started to understand what was happening.

"Are you feeding me your knowledge?"

"Yep!"

"Will I remember this after?"

"Nope. Well, you'll remember this taking place but you won't keep all this knowledge, no. I'm checking to see how much information you can store temporarily. There's a lot up here in this old noggin, you understand," he said, tapping his temple.

They kept at it and he asked her thousands of complicated questions she'd never normally know the answers to but, with the Doctor feeding her subconscious the answers, she knew everything. She could solve equations; correctly name different parts of the TARDIS; tell him thousands of important dates throughout history in space; identify different substances she'd never heard of before by taste or smell and so on. The Doctor conjured up anything he needed for his demonstration and she kept doing really well, whilst juggling and without tiring herself out.

"This is amazing, Rose. It really is," he told her. "I think... Well, I have to probe around a little. It would be easiest if we could exit this place and you went to sleep. I need to be undisturbed. Would that be all right with you?"

She mulled it over for a couple of seconds before nodding. "Yeah. I trust you."

"See you on the other side, then," he said, fading away.

It was too much of a familiar image. All the emotions from that day on Bad Wolf Bay began to flood into her mind and she felt as though she was drowning in them. Clutching her chest, she fell to her knees in the warm sand, feeling as though it was hard to breathe even though she knew, deep down, none of it was real and that the Doctor was right by her side. Panic overcame her and she didn't know how to find her way out. She reached out to the TARDIS, whose low humming was echoing somewhere in the back of her mind, and asked the time ship to get the Doctor.

"Hey," he said softly, appearing before her on the beach again. "What happened?"

"Dunno," she sniffled. "Suppose it just came back to me. Everything that happened. Was the worst day of my life. I thought..." She swallowed and tried to regain control over her breathing. "I thought you were coming to get me. Had packed my bags and everything. But, you were just an image and I couldn't even touch you. You looked so sad," she cried, unable to rein in her emotions. "I'd never seen you looking like that in this body and it hurt so much that I couldn't comfort you. All I wanted was to be with you again but if you couldn't find a way, then how could someone like me?"

"You did find a way, though. You are here, with me," he said, holding her close. "My brilliant, clever Rose."

"Doctor? I know you said that wasn't why we were here, but... Be with me?" she asked, and just like that they were both naked. She gasped, looking down at their bare bodies. "Wow!"

"You don't like wasting time, I see," he teased her.

They kissed, rolling around on the sand together and finally making some good memories of that beach.

* * *

When Rose came to, she was lying down on the gurney. She blinked a few times and stretched out, looking around the room. The Doctor sat on a stool with his specs perched on the bridge of his nose, reading something on a monitor.

"Hello," she said. "Is everything all right?"

"Ah. You're awake. Good." He got up and sat down beside her. "Whilst you slept I examined your mind thoroughly." He took a deep breath and cradled her hands in his. "It's very likely that we could not only form a bond, but also successfully tie your lifespan to mine. If you want."

"Of course I do!" she said, beaming.

"Now, I want you to really think about this, Rose. It can't be undone. This isn't like buying a car or even marrying someone. You can't divorce me. Ever. And I might not even be pretty next time 'round. For all I know, my next body might be bald or old or-or a woman!"

"Really?" she asked, wondering if she'd love a female Doctor and thinking she just might.

"Probably not. It's not unheard of, but no, I don't think so. Anyway, if you want this, you'll be stuck with me for centuries."

"Yeah, but stuck with you, that's not so bad," she said, grinning and leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"Yes."


	28. Forever

**Warning**: contains sex, but not very graphic.

* * *

Rose preferred settling her things into the Doctor's bedroom herself, even though it would have been easier to let the TARDIS move everything for her. She let the time ship do the heavy lifting, but Rose took her time sorting her knick-knacks, clothes and such. It made her feel like she was making the room _theirs_. She was going through the Doctor's desk to find a drawer with enough room to put her journal and the mood pen she'd picked up in New New York-it changed the colour of the ink depending on how she was feeling-when she found the envelope with the banana tea plant seeds. Oh! She had forgotten all about them, but this was perfect! She wasn't much of a gardener, or one at all, really, but she reckoned there was something poetic about starting their new life together by making something grow in their garden.

The Doctor was tinkering in the console room when Rose burst in, excitedly calling his name.

"Hm?" he said, head popping up from under the grating.

"I have a great idea! You were going to tell me about the bond today, right? So let's do that whilst we plant these, yeah?" she suggested, holding the envelope in the air. "S'bout time, I reckon."

He got up and snatched it from her hand. "Oooh! Brilliant idea, Rose." He placed his cool fingers under her chin, tilting her head up and kissing her tenderly. "Can't wait to drink that tea."

They walked hand-in-hand to one of the gardens and, with a little help from the TARDIS, found a flowerbed with optimal soil for the banana tea plant seeds. The Doctor shoved his fingers knuckle deep into the dirt and chirped about all the properties of the soil, gushing over the velvety feel of it, but Rose only listened with one ear. She was thinking back to when Martha was teaching her how to bake and they discovered a big difference between the two of them in the kitchen. Martha was meticulous, whilst Rose had a knack for throwing herself headfirst into things and making it up as she went along.

After a couple of ruined batches, Martha had lectured Rose about always reading through all of the instructions first. Therefore, Rose carefully read the instructions from the back of the envelope no less than three times. She was determined they were going to do this properly, so they could sip on their banana tea in the library whilst winding down after a long day of saving the universe. It wasn't as though they could get more seeds if these failed to grow.

The Doctor was kneeling by the brook running across the garden, washing his hands clean, and then he crawled over to her and slipped his glasses on her nose.

"There. Much better," he said, nodding and grinning. "Carry on with your reading. Out loud if you don't mind."

"Oi, these are just for show!" she exclaimed, making the glasses wiggle by repeatedly crinkling her nose. "D'you only wear them to look smart?"

"Yep. And," he said, winking at her, "to look even more foxy!"

"More foxy?" She mock-gasped, pressing her hand to her chest. "Is it even possible?"

Instead of giving her a reply, he pounced on her, making her fall on her back onto the soft grass. He planted tiny kisses on her lips before tugging a little on her bottom lip with his teeth. She opened her mouth to tell him to stop-they were in the garden for a reason, after all-but he slipped his tongue in before she had time to get a single word out. She happily sighed from his ministrations and gave in, kissing him back for several moments before pulling away, gasping.

"We're supposed to plant and talk about the bond."

"Oh, I know, but first..." he whispered, moving his attention to the sensitive spot on her neck, making her shiver.

"Doctor," she chided gently, "later, yeah? If we don't do this, we'll never get to drink that banana tea."

"But you taste so _good_," he mumbled against her skin and then nipped softly.

She giggled. "Better than bananas?"

"Weeeeell…" Nibbling a little on her earlobe, he drifted a hand downward and cupped her sex. "In _some_ places..."

"Oh, blimey," she panted. "You're insatiable, you are."

"Got a lot of time to make up for, hm?" he said, scooting down her body.

Oh, well, they would get to the actual planting eventually.

* * *

Some hours later they lay together naked, picking grass and petals from each other's hair and chatting about the bond and how he would help her develop her own defenses to maintain some privacy. They would be able to communicate telepathically and share emotions, sensations and memories whilst their connection was open and that made Rose tremendously happy.

"S'good," she said, smiling. "Will make it easier for you to talk to me."

"What do you mean? We talk all the time."

"Not about..." She bit her lip, feeling slightly silly, but this had hurt her and she needed to voice it. "Doctor, you told Martha about Gallifrey and Jack seems to know so much about you, but you still haven't really said anything to _me_. Maybe this way you'll feel like you can..." she trailed off with a shrug.

"Oh, Rose..." He sighed and nuzzled her neck. "When we met all I had left was...guilt and emptiness. It's still there: a constant reminder of how I can never forget and never move on. All I can do is fill up the void and try to feel as good as possible now. And you help me by smiling, laughing, running and holding my hand. Don't you see? I don't need to talk. Your mere presence makes me feel better. Makes _me_ better. Other people...push me, 'cause with them I need that, I suppose. Not with you, though. I just need _you_."

She cupped his face, brushing his cheek with her thumb. "And what if maybe _I_ want to know," she pointed out, smiling. "Did you ever think about that?"

"No," he said, ducking his head. "Suppose I didn't."

"S'just... Sometimes it feels like you know everything about me and I wanna know all those little things about you, all right? You don't need to talk if it doesn't feel right, Doctor. But maybe now you can show me, yeah? Through the bond."

He looked up again, straight into her eyes. "Are you sure, Rose? About the bond, I mean. It would be irrevocable and forever and you're human! You don't even know what that means, not really. You have to be sure. I _need_ you to be sure," he said, concern written on his face. "I'll be with you either way. You-you don't have to do this."

She entwined her fingers with his. "This is what I want. I am _never_ going to leave you," she said, enunciating every word clearly, letting her love and determination shine through her eyes.

"Well, then..." he said, smile soft yet radiant, "let's plant these seeds."

Since they were completely alone in the TARDIS now, they didn't bother putting their clothes back on. It was a bit distracting having a gorgeous, naked Time Lord by her side, but Rose managed just fine.

"Almost domestic, this," she teased him, poking holes in the soil with her fingers.

"No one ever told me there would be so much nakedness involved! Had I known, I would never have declared myself such an adversary to domesticity," he said, opening the envelope and pouring out the seeds in his hand, beaming. "Oh, and my future wife happens to enjoy running for her life on a daily basis...and she's a right minx, so that helps, too." He pinched a seed between his index finger and his thumb, holding it out against the light. "Specs, please."

"Oh, right," she said, only now remembering she had worn his glasses the whole time during their tousle. "So you _do_ need them, then?"

He shrugged. "Helps me think. Gonna save one and make a few tests. Think I can reproduce them, actually. In case we muck this up," he explained, gesturing at the soil.

She narrowed her eyes and ran her tongue over her teeth, not interested in the seed at all anymore. "You said 'future wife'."

"Yes, I did."

"Is that what you'd call me?"

"Well, no. I'd call you my mate, but it's not a perfect translation. We're not going to mate as in procreate and we're more than the slang definition of mate. So, I suppose wife will do."

"You're all right with the bond, then? You accept this is what I really want?" she asked and he nodded, gentle smile playing on his lips. She beamed at him, so full of happiness her body could barely contain it.

"Eer, do-do you wanna do it now?"

"Wha'? You mean now-now?" she asked, pressing seeds into the flower bed.

"If you want," he said with a casual shrug, which didn't quite match the eager look in his eye.

"Lemme just... Got five more," she said, moving quickly and then washing her hands in the brook. "Okay, I'm ready, I think... What should I do?"

"Just...be you," he said, smiling. "Open, welcoming, warm and so very Rose." He grabbed her hips and pulled her close, tasting her lips. He hummed as he deepened the kiss, caressing her tongue with his, making her melt into him. Even though they had just spent hours pleasing one another, she could already feel him hard against her. "I will use the energy of our shared orgasms to join us," he explained. "And I'll need to come properly, but you're not ovulating so we'll be fine."

"M'sorry. Don't think I can come again this soon."

"That won't be a problem," he assured her. "We'll share our minds and you will feel everything I feel. When I climax, so will you."

"What? Seriously?"

Chuckling, he nudged her nose with his and kissed her so thoroughly she started feeling weak in the knees and he cradled her as they sank down on the grass. She nipped her way down his throat, letting her tongue swirl around his Adam's apple, and then continued down his chest where she breathed him in. She straddled him and began to rub herself against his erection whilst coaxing one of his nipples to a peak with her tongue, using her fingers to play with his other. Thrills shot through her at the sound of his moans and feel of the head of his cock pushing against her clit, making her wet. His fingers found their way to her temples and, after asking for permission and receiving a nod from her, he entered her mind.

It was entirely different from when he had examined her to see if she was strong enough for the bond. They were still in complete control over their bodies, even though the sensations left her unable to do much more than gasp and writhe. She could feel his desire for her ripple through her body and the familiar heat pooling in her abdomen. When she resumed rubbing herself against him, she forgot all about foreplay; all she wanted, all she needed, was to be inside _now_. She wanted to thrust her hips up and push into herself and one cool hand left her temple, settled on her hip and helped her sink down. She was encompassed by herself now, but trying to figure out how to move to get the right friction made her dizzy. Nothing made sense and she didn't know where she ended and he began. She knew she was Rose and female and yet she could feel her throbbing erection surrounded by velvet heat.

"Stop thinking so hard," he moaned out loud. "Don't make sense of it. Just..._feel. Do. Move._"

"Feel, do, move," she murmured, throwing her head back and giving in to the sensations.

Thanks to the Doctor's guiding hand on her hip, she found the rhythm and they moved together in a haze of feverish bliss. Every nerve ending sparked and it felt as though she was burning up from the inside, but in the best sort of way. As they grew closer, the feeling in her center got tighter and more urgent and the Doctor's other hand left her temple to grab hold of her hip. The connection remained intact and she could feel him all around her.

_"I'll reach out soon. Just let me in, Rose. Be open and let me in,"_ she heard in her mind and she sent a positive feeling in response, too wrapped up in pleasure to form actual words.

They came at the exact same time and she felt herself both contract and empty herself into her heat and it was gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous. When she sensed his essence pour into her in more ways than one, she welcomed it with open arms, bathing in the loving feel of him. It kept going and going, as though they were suspended in time, and yet it was over in an instant. Whimpering, Rose collapsed on top of him, utterly spent and sweaty. Blond tresses were sticking to her forehead and a fine layer of golden glitter was coating her skin and she contemplated slithering over to the brook to wash it off.

"No need," someone giggled beside her, as she watched the energy evaporate. "Besides, too cold in that brook, but we can take a bath in the tub if you'd like."

"Wha'?" she said, down from her high now and wholly disoriented. She barely remembered her name, let alone where she was. Well, she remembered a brook but that was only because she could hear it.

"You're Rose," someone said, hugging her close. "You're Rose and you're mine."

"And you're mine," she heard herself say and then she fell asleep, safe in the arms of her Doctor.

* * *

When she woke up again, she found herself in the Doctor's-no, their-bedroom, still in his arms. He was wide awake, staring adoringly at her with warm, brown eyes surrounded by soft crinkles.

_"Hello,"_ she heard him say in her head and her eyes widened. _"Try it."_

She furrowed her brow in concentration. _"HELLO!"_ she hollered, and recoiled as her voice echoed through their minds.

"Blimey, you can shout," he said out loud, laughing. "Try again, softer this time, hm?"

Licking her lips, she tried again but instead of the hello she was intending to say, her feelings for him took over and she couldn't help but think, _"I love you."_

The Doctor made the mental equivalent of a happy squeal and kissed her. _"Rose Tyler..."_ he said telepathically, and his unabashed devotion to her washed through her, warming her heart. _"That was perfect."_

A thought struck her. Since communicating by sending images worked well for her and the TARDIS, she should be able to do the same with the Doctor. She was rather good at it now after practising with the time ship for months. Giggling inside, Rose flashed him an image of something naughty she'd like to do to him.

"Rose Tyler!" he exclaimed, pulling away from her lips, but she felt his excitement through their bond.

"Well, would you like me to?" she asked, but since she already knew the answer she crawled down his body, settled between his legs and tried something of which she knew Jack would be proud.

As she worked the Doctor well with her mouth and fingers, he sent her an image of her reversing her position so he could pleasure her as well. Without releasing him, she spun around and placed each knee at the sides of his head and moaned as his tongue started caressing her. They kept flashing each other helpful images of what they wanted as they went along, and Rose finally found out just how fantastic sex with a telepath could be.

* * *

The following month passed by quickly. They worked on her mental abilities daily, often taking advantage of the energy boost they had during sex, and she was slowly getting better. Their bond had proven to be rather useful, living the life they did, but to Rose sharing emotions was the real benefit. Every positive feeling was doubled and intensified, whilst burdens were lighter now that there were two sets of shoulders to carry them. Constantly sensing the Doctor in the back of her mind was a comfort like none she'd ever felt before. They would never be alone again, either of them, and they had never been happier-especially not him. He looked like a new man, centuries younger, all because of the love they shared.

He had shared some of his memories with her, often in their post coital bliss when they felt closer than ever. She'd seen images of Gallifrey, all of his old companions, his family and even his week spent with Sarah Jane. Showing her that had been hard on him, but she was glad he had and she poured all of her love into him as support. It was over now, they had each other and were moving forward and healing.

Even though the bond was firmly in place, they had yet to tie her lifespan to his and had not had the handfasting ceremony common amongst his people. Rose knew Jackie would throw herself in the rift and find her way to Cardiff to slap the living daylights out of them if they got married without her being there. Well, as present as she could be, considering they lived in parallel universes, so the Doctor and Rose agreed on a simple, quick ceremony in the console room today, which was the day of Rose's second call to her family.

"You nervous, then?" asked Martha, who was brushing Rose's locks so she could coax them into a simple but elegant bun.

They were sitting in the en suite of the Doctor and Rose's bedroom, having already finished their makeup and getting Martha dressed in a pretty, burgundy cocktail dress.

"Nah." Rose shrugged. "I'm all right. Uhm..." She looked up at her friend in the mirror. "Are you okay with all this? Is it...?" She gestured vaguely.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Was good, being away for a while. I think he'll always have a place in my heart, though. He's the Doctor, yeah? Think you'll never really get over someone like him. But...it's not an issue anymore. I've actually," Martha ducked her head and smiled, "met someone."

"Yeah?" Rose said, beaming. "Go on."

"His name is Tom and he's a doctor. A proper one," she added and they snickered. "Really handsome and kind. Met him at the hospital, I did, and we've been on a couple of dates."

"Sounds like a good bloke, he does! And you're still coming with us?"

"Well, yeah. The Doctor's made sure I've only been gone a little over one week my time. Told people I was out sick. And when I come with you now I'll just ask him to drop me off at tomorrow's date when it's time for me to go home."

"S'like you can have your cake and eat it too, yeah?"

"Yeah. I mean, if you still want me to come... Or will you go on a honeymoon, or...?"

Rose laughed. "No. And I'm gonna have forever with that daft, old alien. Reckon there's room for some Martha, too, yeah?" She turned around so she could face her. "I did miss you. This life... It's better with friends."

"Yeah..." Martha did the finishing touches on Rose's hair and stepped back to admire her work. "Done! You look beautiful."

"Thanks. Feel so weird, though. S'not me, this," Rose said with an uncomfortable laugh, looking down at her wedding gown. It was a simple white dress with a pearl beaded bodice as its only flourish. "Only doing this for mum. She'd have a fit if I showed up in jeans and a hoodie. She'll love this, though, I reckon. Never seen me in anything this pretty."

"Yeah, she will," said Martha and put a comforting arm around her. "C'mon, let's get you to the console room."

"No, go ahead. I'm just gonna check on the Doctor." She tapped her temple. "He's worried about me. Thinks I'm gonna go all bonkers 'cause that's apparently what Earth brides do. He's been asking me about _everything_. 'Is this all right? Is that all right? You sure you don't want flowers? Are you really gonna wear those shoes with that dress?' He's driving me barmy, he is. Will be good to have you back."

"I heard that!" called the Doctor from their bedroom.

Rose just sniggered and shook her head. "Go wait for us in the console room, yeah?" she said to Martha, walking out of the en suite.

"You sure you don't want rings?" the Doctor asked Rose for the umpteenth time as soon as Martha had closed the door behind her.

"Yeah." She laughed, slipping her feet into a pair of Doctor approved silk sandals. "Just want you. Don't need anything else."

"You sure? I know how you Earth women can be. I don't mind."

"You keep asking and I keep telling you... Wait. Do _you_ want rings?"

"Nope. Just making sure," he said brightly and adjusted his bowtie. He was wearing his usual dinner jacket and chucks ensemble.

"We look like a proper wedding couple, I reckon," she said, checking their reflection in the mirror.

"Oh, yes," he agreed, drinking her in.

"Well, then," she said, smiling and holding out her hand. "Ready?"

"Yep! Weeeell, I'm a little worried about Jackie's reaction."

She patted him gently on his arm. "She's known for a long time, Doctor. Even if we didn't. She's had time to prepare."

"If you say so..." He massaged his cheek. "You sure they don't have some sort of void ship over at parallel Cardiff?"

"I'm sure. Mum won't be here," she said and didn't have time to shut down their connection before he could sense the sadness flooding her.

"Oh, Rose. I was rude again, wasn't I?" he said, resting his forehead against hers. "I'm so sorry."

"S'all right. This is a happy day, yeah?" She plastered on a smile, but then she felt him shower her with admiration and affection through their bond and her smile became radiant and real. "Thank you," she whispered and then kissed him softly.

When they got out to the console room they found Jack and Martha chatting and setting up a table with champagne, so they could toast afterwards, and a wedding cake with edible ball bearings.

"Look at you!" Jack said, grinning. "You're gorgeous! Although...isn't it bad luck to see the bride before the wedding, Doc?"

The Doctor shrugged and made a halfhearted noise in the back of his throat. "Silly Earth tradition. Besides, we're already bonded and we did that completely starkers."

"I'm pretty sure I was wearing your glasses, Doctor. Was rather mind blowing, mind you, so I'm not entirely sure," Rose said and Jack looked positively overjoyed and let out a long, impressed whistle.

"Now hush," said the Doctor, looking somewhat irate, "we're calling Jackie and there will be no mention whatsoever of me and Rose doing...well_anything_."

Martha snorted. "I think she'll catch on."

"She thought we were like that a long time ago," said Rose. "Didn't matter what I said."

"What? Really?" the Doctor squeaked.

"Yeah, she said with the way you looked at me there was no way we hadn't..." Rose trailed off, blushing.

The Doctor beamed at her. "Will my blushing bride push the button, please?"

Rose did so and then they waited a few seconds for the screen to flicker to life.

"Oh, sweetheart how are you? I've missed you so-" Jackie's blue eyes were round and big as saucers as she stared at her daughter. "What the…?!"

"Hi." Rose waved to Jackie, Pete, Tony and Mickey. "Uhm... The Doctor and me are... Uhm, we bonded and we're gonna tie my life to his and-"

"You're getting _married_," Jackie interrupted, mouth hanging open.

"Uhm, yeah. Suppose that's a better way of putting it. S'not really a wedding, though. More like a, uhm, a handfasting. S'what the Doctor calls it. But, yeah, we are."

Her mother kept staring at them in shock and the others were too scared of doing something wrong and suffering the wrath of Jackie Tyler to say anything. Rose and the Doctor shifted uncomfortably, a bit surprised over her mother's reaction. They had at least thought she'd be happy for them.

"Pete! Pete! Pete!" Jackie hollered, smacking him wildly on the arm.

"I'm right here, Jacks."

"My little girl is getting married and I'm in my tracksuit. MY LITTLE GIRL IS GETTING MARRIED AND I'M IN MY _TRACKSUIT_!" she yelled, clutching Pete's lapels.

"It's okay, mum, we don't mind," Rose assured her and sent calming thoughts to the Doctor, who stood frozen by her side.

"You could've warned me, young lady," Jackie said, pointing her finger at her. "IANTO! Where's that boy? IANTO!" she screamed, looking frantically around the room. "He's always so smartly dressed, he is. Make him get me something pretty to wear whilst I talk to my daughter. Oh, my little girl is getting married!" Jackie waved her hands in her face, trying to stave off tears. "Oh, sweetheart, I'm so happy for you!" she added, and the happy couple released the breath they'd been holding.

Fifteen minutes later, Jackie had shimmied her way into a tight, pink sequined number (thankfully off camera), dressed Tony in a toddler suit, made Pete change his blue tie into a pink one and made Mickey wear a borrowed suit. There were also champagne flutes and a wedding cake in the room. During it all, she yelled marriage advice at them, prompting Rose and the Doctor to nod politely, whilst Pete and Mickey tried to get a word in to say congratulations.

"I don't even know why we bother travelling time and space, saving people. We should just let Jackie Tyler loose with a credit card," said the Doctor, clearly impressed. "How did you manage all that?"

"Oh, I have my ways," Jackie said, dismissing him by waving her hand. "I'd tell you to take care of her, but... Oh, sweetheart! You look so happy. Himself, too." She patted the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. "I wish I could be there! I wish I could hug you."

"Me too, mum," Rose said, breathing in and out deeply to calm herself.

"You're so beautiful. Just _perfect_, Rose. That dress is gorgeous, it is. Oh, listen to me going on." Jackie shook her head.

"What about me?" the Doctor huffed, looking affronted.

"You're very handsome," Jackie assured him and the Doctor grinned contentedly. "Now, get on with it. We don't have all day."

The Doctor and Rose positioned themselves in front of the screen, holding hands. Jack and Martha grabbed a pair of silk ribbons, one silver and one gold, from the jump seat and took their places beside them.

Jack, who was acting as the Doctor's family, took the silver ribbon and tied it around the couple's clasped hands. "I consent and gladly give," the captain said, voice breaking a little.

Martha took the golden ribbon and started tying, and the Doctor turned to the screen and asked Rose's family to say the words.

"I consent and gladly give," was heard in unison from Jackie, Mickey and Pete.

Looking down at their joined hands, Rose bit her lip and smiled. She tilted her head up and met the loving gaze of the Doctor, who was beaming proudly at her. She rose up on tiptoes and was just about to kiss him when Jackie exclaimed, "Where are the rings?!"

"Uhm, we're not having rings, mum."

"_What_?! Then how will anyone know you're married? Oh, you cheap, blooming alien, you. Is my only daughter not even worth-"

The Doctor held up his free hand to silence her and then used it to pull a small velvet box out of his pocket. "I took the liberty," he said to Rose with a shrug and flipped the box open with his thumb. "Knew Jackie would be livid, so I thought we could use a little Earth tradition, too."

"Oh..." She swallowed, staring at the two simple, golden wedding bands.

"They're engraved with our names in Gallifreyan," he explained. "I... Well, didn't know exactly what you'd like, but..."

"They're perfect," she whispered, confirming her words through their link. She didn't want anything flashy or some big rock that would be in the way whilst they were up to no good and running for their lives.

He took the smaller ring and slipped it on her left ring finger and then affectionately brushed his thumb over her knuckles. She held out her hand, still staring. She hadn't been able to look at anything else since he'd opened the box.

"Are you all right?" he asked, nudging her gently in her mind.

"Yeah," she said breathlessly. "S'just... I'm getting _married_. Never thought I'd... I mean... After I met you, I just reckoned I'd never do that. 'Cause I just wanted you, no one else, and you didn't do that. No domestics. But here we are..."

"Well, yes," he said, a bit bemusedly, holding out his hand so she could put his ring on his finger. "But we're already bonded. That's much more final and you didn't react quite like this."

"Well, yeah, but that was just us being us. All weird and alien, like. This is..."

"Oh, blimey you can blabber on, the pair of you!" Jackie yelled. "Kiss already!"

"Yes, mum," Rose said, blushing, and rose on tiptoes once more.

"I believe you had vows...?" Jack reminded them, looking amused.

"Oh, right," Rose and the Doctor said at the same time.

They placed their untied hands over the tied ones, looking into each other's eyes and smiling.

"How long are you gonna stay with me?"

"Forever," she whispered and then their lips finally met.

The kiss started out chaste, but soon she opened up and welcomed him into her mouth as well as her mind. Their tongues entangled, softly and languidly, as the Doctor sought out the glimmering, golden thread that was Rose Tyler. He entwined it with his own silver coloured thread, all the way from start to finish, whilst their hands were crushed between their bodies as they tried to get as close as possible. When he was done, he let his given name-one she knew she would never be allowed to speak out loud-echo throughout their joined minds.

Rose was faintly aware of their guests gasping when a shower of golden energy erupted between her and the Doctor, as her life was finally properly tied to his. She just kept kissing her Doctor until she was out of breath. Resting her forehead against his, revelling in being wholly surrounded by his love, she slowly came back to reality.

"What was that?" Jackie shrieked. "If that was some sort of alien orgasm and you just shagged my daughter right in front of us, I swear to god... Is that what you lot do? Consummate in the presence of the guests? Oh, you deserve a proper slap, you do."

"Mum! We tied my life to his. I'm...uhm...I'll live a bit longer now."

Jackie narrowed her eyes. "How long?"

"Eeer," said the Doctor, clearing his throat. "Considerably longer. Centuries, most likely." He tugged a little at his ear, looking up at the ceiling.

"Centuries!" Jackie gasped. She shook her head and grabbed a champagne flute, downed it in one go, grabbed the bottle for a refill, only to shrug, throw the glass over her shoulder and drink straight from the bottle instead. She muttered something about blooming aliens and immortality and Pete comfortingly put his arm around her shoulders.

"We're happy for you, love," Pete said. "Your mum just needs a little time to digest."

"Hold on," said Mickey, big grin on his face. "So, you're the Doctor and Rose Tyler in the TARDIS _forever_?"

"Just as it should be," confirmed the Doctor, and kissed her again.

* * *

**THE END**

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Thank you so much for all the lovely comments!

* * *

**A/N:** I do not have a sequel planned. I'm really happy that some of you like the story enough to want one, but just writing them bouncing around the universe, shagging and saving the day, is not something that gets my creativity flowing. :/ So sorry!


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